Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Wilmington, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilmington, NC: $2,876 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, NC
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Wilmington, NC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Wilmington, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Wilmington, NC

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 Wilmington, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,876 in Wilmington, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Wilmington, NC $2,876

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,129 in Wilmington, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Wilmington, NC $4,129

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,382 in Wilmington, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Wilmington, NC $5,382

Chicago, IL costs about 6% more than Wilmington, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Wilmington, NC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Wilmington, NC by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.08 $15.08

37.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.1 $80.1

11.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.80 $10.80

22.13%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.55 $5.55

1.98%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.14 $5.14

33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.95 $6.95

27.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.01 $4.01

-7.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.84 $5.84

-7.71%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.34 $5.34

-11.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.38 $11.38

21.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.42 $14.42

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$25.47 $25.47

-27.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.38 $6.38

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.91 $6.91

-41.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.19 $6.19

-19.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.09 $4.09

-34.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.94 $5.94

-55.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.40 $2.40

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.14 $3.14

-0.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.64 $8.64

59.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.70 $14.70

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.02 $2.02

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$6.00 $6.00

-41.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$79.4 $79.4

-7.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$7.03 $7.03

-54.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.89 $1.89

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.03 $1.03

16.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

29.33%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.44%

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

$194 $194

$286 $286

-32.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$55.8 $55.8

24.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.2 $76.2

-19.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$56.1 $56.1

-14.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$4.08 $4.08

570.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.89 $14.89

19.61%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,339 $1,339

33.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$70.9 $70.9

-5.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.96 $41.96

24.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.6 $99.6

1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$68.8 $68.8

109.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,640 $1,640

54.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,361 $1,361

15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,819 $2,819

68.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,116 $2,116

27.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,291 $3,291

27.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,529 $2,529

9.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,936 $3,936

25.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wilmington, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Wilmington, NC

$1.4K 47.3% 13.8% $217

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Wilmington, NC

$501 17.4% 12.1% $54

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Wilmington, NC

$279 9.7% 19.2% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Wilmington, NC

$418 14.6% 28.5% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Wilmington, NC

$127 4.4% 22.8% $37

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Wilmington, NC

$104 3.6% 11.4% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Wilmington, NC

$86 3% 2.8% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,640 in Wilmington, NC. 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 25% 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 $80 in Wilmington, NC. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $501 in Wilmington, NC – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Wilmington, NC

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

17:35 5:35 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

72,826

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Wilmington, NC 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Wilmington, NC

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 Wilmington, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,876 in Wilmington, NC – Wilmington, NC comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,313 in Wilmington, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wilmington, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,640 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Wilmington, NC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Wilmington, NC – 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 Wilmington, NC. 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.