Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Union, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Union, SC: $2,296 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Union, SC
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Union, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Union, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,296

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Union, SC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Union, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,296 in Union, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Union, SC $2,296

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,597 in Union, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Union, SC $3,597

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,897 in Union, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Union, SC $4,897

Chicago, IL costs about 37% more than Union, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Union, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Union, SC by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$9.15 $9.15

125.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$99.0 $99.0

-8.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$8.51 $8.51

52.06%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.98 $5.98

-6.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.33 $2.33

13.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.94 $1.94

17.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$2.80 $2.80

149.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$3.42 $3.42

158.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.07 $1.07

18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.26 $3.26

16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.45 $2.45

116.33%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.30 $3.30

44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.96 $8.96

55.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.31 $13.31

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.71 $14.71

27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.81 $2.81

84.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.31 $1.31

51.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.24 $3.24

21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.44 $4.44

11.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.37 $2.37

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.12 $2.12

30.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.75 $1.75

26.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.29 $1.29

131.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.35 $8.35

67.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$8.75 $8.75

74.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.79 $1.79

44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.16 $5.16

-32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.09 $2.09

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.62 $4.62

-27.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$3.02 $3.02

-52.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$34.96 $34.96

-30.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.91 $0.91

38.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

25.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.30%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$193 $193

$177 $177

8.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$64.9 $64.9

5.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$45.72 $45.72

34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.73 $41.73

29.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.17 $13.17

34.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,652 $1,652

$2,585 $2,585

-36.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.0K $23.0K

35.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$47.21 $47.21

39.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$20.96 $20.96

144.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$85.6 $85.6

17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$99.0 $99.0

42.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,390 $1,390

75.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,259 $1,259

33.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,203 $2,203

114.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,419 $2,419

15.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,700 $2,700

52.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,125 $2,125

24.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,496 $2,496

94.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

70.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Union, SC: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Union, SC

$1.3K 54.8% 25% $419

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Union, SC

$332 14.4% 26.2% $118

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Union, SC

$208 9.1% 39.3% $135

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Union, SC

$288 12.5% 10.7% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Union, SC

$114 5% 29.5% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Union, SC

$28 * 1.2% 70.5% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Union, SC

$68 3% 24% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,390 in Union, SC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 95% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $99.0 in Union, SC. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $332 in Union, SC – so Union, SC wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Union, SC

🕒 Local time

00:58 12:58 AM

01:58 1:58 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Union, SC 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Union, SC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Union, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,296 in Union, SC – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,444 in Union, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Union, SC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $99.0 in Union, SC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Union, SC, where all-in costs run around $2,296, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Union, SC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,296 in Union, SC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Union, SC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.