Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbus, OH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, OH: $2,491 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Columbus, OH
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Columbus, OH Living Index
152

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

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Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,491

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Columbus, OH and in Chicago, IL

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

A single person spends $2,491 per month in Columbus, OH vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Columbus, OH $2,491
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Columbus, OH vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Columbus, OH $3,714
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,936 per month in Columbus, OH vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Columbus, OH $4,936
Chicago, IL $6,115

Columbus, OH is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Columbus, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Columbus, OH by 84%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.03 $22.03

$20.65 $20.65

6.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 $77.8

$90.2 $90.2

-13.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.94 $12.94

-8.35%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.60 $5.60

-1.96%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.64 $2.64

-3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.27 $2.27

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$6.98 $6.98

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$8.83 $8.83

-18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.27 $1.27

-29.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.80 $3.80

-17.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$5.30 $5.30

-0.57%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$4.76 $4.76

-20.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 $13.83

$13.96 $13.96

-0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.55 $14.55

$14.61 $14.61

-0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 $15.83

$18.77 $18.77

-15.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$5.19 $5.19

23.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.93 $3.93

53.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.96 $4.96

-3.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.76 $2.76

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.76 $2.76

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.22 $2.22

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.98 $2.98

-20.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$14.02 $14.02

-28.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.46 $16.46

$15.28 $15.28

7.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.58 $2.58

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.50 $3.50

-14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.47 $2.47

-19.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$74.8 $74.8

-15.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.34 $3.34

-12.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.43 $1.43

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.20 $27.20

$24.32 $24.32

11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.26 $1.26

-20.63%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-11.34%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.12%

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

$222 $222

$193 $193

15.43%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$68.3 $68.3

-4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$61.3 $61.3

10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.63 $35.63

$54.1 $54.1

-34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.46 $41.46

$27.92 $27.92

48.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 $13.23

$17.74 $17.74

-25.42%

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

$1,610 $1,610

$1,652 $1,652

-2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.9K $33.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

9.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.89 $48.89

$66.1 $66.1

-26.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 $41.71

$51.2 $51.2

-18.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$100 $100

-19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$141 $141

-22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$2,446 $2,446

-36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 $1,096

$1,678 $1,678

-34.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 $2,398

$4,717 $4,717

-49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 $1,839

$2,795 $2,795

-34.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,398 $3,398

$4,105 $4,105

-17.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

$2,650 $2,650

-33.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,995 $3,995

$4,866 $4,866

-17.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Columbus, OH: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Columbus, OH

$1.1K 44%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 53% $581

Groceries & Markets

Columbus, OH

$431 17.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.2% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Columbus, OH

$356 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.4% $33

Eating Out

Columbus, OH

$340 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 1.1% $3.9

Clothing & Footwear

Columbus, OH

$126 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 28% $35

Getting Around

Columbus, OH

$81 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 18.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Columbus, OH

$62 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 44.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,543 in Columbus, OH versus $2,446 in Chicago, 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 22% 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 $78.0 in Columbus, OH versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $449 – making Columbus, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:35 7:35 AM

06:35 6:35 AM

1 h behind Columbus, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

905,748

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Columbus, OH Chicago, IL 440 km

From you

Columbus, 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

Columbus, OH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,491 in Columbus, OH, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,737 per month in Columbus, OH and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Columbus, OH and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,491 in Columbus, OH and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. 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 $2,491 in Columbus, OH to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Columbus, OH. 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.