Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Normal, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Cincinnati, OH and in Normal, IL: $2,343 and $2,269 a month, rent and utilities included.

113

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
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Normal, IL Living Index

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Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,343

/mo nomad

Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cincinnati, OH and in Normal, IL

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

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $2,269 in Normal, IL, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $2,343
Normal, IL $2,269

A couple spends around $3,438 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $3,356 in Normal, IL, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $3,438
Normal, IL $3,356

A family of three spends $4,533 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $4,443 in Normal, IL, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $4,533
Normal, IL $4,443

Cincinnati, OH costs about 3% more than Normal, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cincinnati, OH and Normal, IL sit above the global median – Cincinnati, OH by 73%, Normal, IL by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 $15.05

$11.29 $11.29

33.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 $49.13

$50.5 $50.5

-2.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.82 $9.82

1.53%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$5.14 $5.14

-2.53%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$3.40 $3.40

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.58 $1.58

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$5.27 $5.27

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 $7.34

$6.08 $6.08

20.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.80 $0.80

8.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.63 $2.63

27.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.22 $3.22

25.16%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$3.84 $3.84

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 $12.79

$8.95 $8.95

42.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$12.56 $12.56

-11.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 $16.12

$18.70 $18.70

-13.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$6.55 $6.55

-13.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.23 $1.23

28.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$6.54 $6.54

-32.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$5.11 $5.11

-5.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.39 $3.39

-22.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.23 $3.23

2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.05 $2.05

2.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.31 $2.31

-20.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.32 $11.32

-11.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$10.96 $10.96

36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.83 $1.83

18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.02 $3.02

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.57 $2.57

5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 $105

$93.0 $93.0

12.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 $3.78

$5.86 $5.86

-35.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.09 $1.09

15.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.69 $24.69

$18.21 $18.21

35.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.91 $0.91

18.68%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.4K $27.4K

30.62%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.5K $26.5K

-0.85%

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

$151 $151

$274 $274

-44.83%

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

$76.3 $76.3

$97.9 $97.9

-21.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$64.5 $64.5

11.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 $36.06

$39.78 $39.78

-9.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 $13.98

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$11.80 $11.80

29.07%

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

$1,443 $1,443

$1,055 $1,055

36.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K $19.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.54 $45.54

$30.33 $30.33

50.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 $45.50

$39.25 $39.25

15.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 $83.5

$68.4 $68.4

22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$153 $153

-28.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 $1,556

$994 $994

56.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 $1,067

$895 $895

19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,194 $3,194

$1,761 $1,761

81.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,793 $1,793

$1,624 $1,624

10.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,497 $3,497

$9,700 $9,700

-63.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,138 $2,138

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,149 $4,149

$4,253 $4,253

-2.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.55

0.61%

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

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 18, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cincinnati, OH

$1.1K 45.5%

Normal, IL

$895 39.4% 16.2% $173

Groceries & Markets

Cincinnati, OH

$389 16.6%

Normal, IL

$390 17.2% 0.3% $1.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cincinnati, OH

$299 12.8%

Normal, IL

$436 19.2% 45.8% $137

Eating Out

Cincinnati, OH

$268 11.5%

Normal, IL

$240 10.6% 10.6% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.4%

Normal, IL

$131 5.8% 2.6% $3.3

Getting Around

Cincinnati, OH

$126 5.4%

Normal, IL

$115 5.1% 8.8% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Cincinnati, OH

$67 2.8%

Normal, IL

$63 2.8% 4.7% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Cincinnati, OH versus $994 in Normal, IL. 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 3% higher in Normal, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cincinnati, OH versus $50.0 in Normal, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $390 – making Cincinnati, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🕒 Local time

22:33 10:33 PM

21:33 9:33 PM

1 h behind Cincinnati, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

298,800

52,497

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cincinnati, OH Normal, IL 410 km

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Cincinnati, OH
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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

Cincinnati, OH vs Normal, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,343 in Cincinnati, OH, $2,269 in Normal, IL – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in Cincinnati, OH and $3,404 in Normal, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,343 in Cincinnati, OH and $2,269 in Normal, IL. That's a gap of about 3%.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Normal, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Normal, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in Cincinnati, OH at $2,343. In Normal, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cincinnati, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Normal, IL – 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 Normal, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cincinnati, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.