Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Vail, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Vail, CO: $2,880 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Vail, CO
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Vail, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Vail, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,880

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Vail, CO

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 Vail, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,880 in Vail, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Vail, CO $2,880

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,156 in Vail, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Vail, CO $4,156

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,432 in Vail, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Vail, CO $5,432

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Vail, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Vail, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Vail, CO by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.11 $20.11

1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$75.5 $75.5

17.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.35 $11.35

13.22%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.43 $5.43

6.45%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.70 $2.70

1.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.04 $2.04

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.92 $5.92

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.12 $7.12

29.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.27 $2.27

-44.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.68 $3.68

-3.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.37 $4.37

23.11%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.09 $4.09

11.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.61 $12.61

8.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.71 $11.71

20.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$26.03 $26.03

-30.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.14 $5.14

0.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.46 $4.46

-13.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.60 $4.60

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.76 $2.76

1.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.77 $2.77

-3.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.19 $2.19

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.32 $2.32

30.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.22 $10.22

36.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.76 $14.76

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.95 $1.95

34.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.67 $3.67

-5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.78 $1.78

36.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$52.3 $52.3

43.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.54 $3.54

-10.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.80 $1.80

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$28.86 $28.86

-13.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.11 $1.11

15.32%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.3K $29.3K

22.15%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.28%

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

$192 $192

$243 $243

-20.81%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$59.5 $59.5

16.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$136 $136

-54.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.74 $40.74

17.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.21 $14.21

25.48%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,229 $1,229

47.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.5K $20.5K

98.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$52.2 $52.2

26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$46.34 $46.34

10.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$87.2 $87.2

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$124 $124

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,596 $1,596

58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,397 $1,397

16.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,575 $2,575

87.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,286 $2,286

19.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,877 $2,877

44.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,338 $2,338

16.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$2,998 $2,998

64.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Vail, CO: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Vail, CO

$1.4K 48.5% 13.8% $224

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Vail, CO

$441 15.3% 0.4% $1.8

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Vail, CO

$323 11.2% 6.2% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Vail, CO

$438 15.2% 35.4% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Vail, CO

$139 4.8% 14.8% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Vail, CO

$72 2.5% 25.6% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Vail, CO

$69 2.4% 17.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,596 in Vail, CO. 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 64% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $75 in Vail, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $441 in Vail, CO – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Vail, CO

🕒 Local time

14:15 2:15 PM

13:15 1:15 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

5,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Vail, CO 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Vail, CO

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 Vail, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,880 in Vail, CO – Vail, CO comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,320 in Vail, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vail, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,596 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Vail, CO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Vail, CO. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,880 in Vail, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Vail, CO – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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