Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Waikiki, HI

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Waikiki, HI: $3,072 and $3,148 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Waikiki, HI
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Waikiki, HI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,148

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Waikiki, HI

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 Waikiki, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,148 in Waikiki, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Waikiki, HI $3,148

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,580 in Waikiki, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Waikiki, HI $4,580

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,011 in Waikiki, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Waikiki, HI $6,011

Chicago, IL and Waikiki, HI have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Waikiki, HI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Waikiki, HI by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$25.12 $25.12

-18.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$140 $140

-36.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$15.23 $15.23

-15.63%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.94 $5.94

-2.69%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$5.06 $5.06

-45.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.63 $3.63

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$10.44 $10.44

-34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$11.37 $11.37

-18.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.02 $1.02

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.52 $3.52

0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$10.14 $10.14

-46.94%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$8.84 $8.84

-48.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.51 $12.51

9.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$20.34 $20.34

-30.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$21.60 $21.60

-16.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$8.26 $8.26

-37.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 $1.67

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.93 $6.93

-44.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$9.32 $9.32

-48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.86 $4.86

-42.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.88 $4.88

-45.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$5.30 $5.30

-60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.04 $3.04

-0.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$12.88 $12.88

7.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$18.20 $18.20

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.69 $2.69

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.68 $5.68

-39.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.25 $2.25

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.9 $59.9

25.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.59 $3.59

-11.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.64 $2.64

-35.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$45.63 $45.63

-45.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.50 $1.50

-14.67%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$36.1K $36.1K

-0.80%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.74%

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

$192 $192

$250 $250

-23.26%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$65.4 $65.4

6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$64.5 $64.5

-3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$41.02 $41.02

16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$19.78 $19.78

-9.86%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,118 $2,118

-14.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$28.2K $28.2K

43.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$63.7 $63.7

3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.25 $47.25

8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$133 $133

7.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,612 $1,612

56.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,424 $1,424

13.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,612 $2,612

84.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,965 $1,965

39.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,676 $2,676

55.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,422 $2,422

12.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.79

-0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Waikiki, HI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Waikiki, HI

$1.4K 45.2% 12.2% $197

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Waikiki, HI

$594 18.9% 35.3% $155

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Waikiki, HI

$428 13.6% 24.3% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Waikiki, HI

$380 12.1% 17.4% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Waikiki, HI

$156 5% 4.7% $7.6

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Waikiki, HI

$86 2.7% 11.4% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Waikiki, HI

$81 2.6% 3.4% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,612 in Waikiki, HI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $140 in Waikiki, HI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $594 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waikiki, HI

🕒 Local time

13:27 1:27 PM

09:27 9:27 AM

4 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,862

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Waikiki, HI 6,840 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Waikiki, HI

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 Waikiki, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,722 in Waikiki, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waikiki, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,612 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $140 in Waikiki, HI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Waikiki, HI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,148 in Waikiki, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,148 in Waikiki, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.