Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Covington, LA: $2,657 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Covington, LA
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Covington, LA Living Index
152

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

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Covington, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,657

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Covington, LA 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 Covington, LA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,657 per month in Covington, LA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Covington, LA $2,657
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,774 per month in Covington, LA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Covington, LA $3,774
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,890 per month in Covington, LA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Covington, LA $4,890
Chicago, IL $6,115

Covington, LA is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Covington, LA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Covington, LA by 96%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 $18.71

$20.65 $20.65

-9.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 $55.6

$90.2 $90.2

-38.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 $11.85

$12.94 $12.94

-8.42%

Cappuccino

$3.10 $3.10

$5.60 $5.60

-44.64%

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

$1.79 $1.79

$2.64 $2.64

-32.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.27 $2.27

-37.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.98 $6.98

-42.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 $5.23

$8.83 $8.83

-40.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.27 $1.27

-30.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.80 $3.80

-8.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$5.30 $5.30

-48.68%

Eggs

$3.25 $3.25

$4.76 $4.76

-31.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$13.96 $13.96

-63.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 $7.27

$14.61 $14.61

-50.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$18.77 $18.77

-26.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$5.19 $5.19

-20.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.98 $1.98

-59.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.93 $3.93

-33.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$4.96 $4.96

-15.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.76 $2.76

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.76 $2.76

-2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.22 $2.22

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.98 $2.98

-26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 $9.00

$14.02 $14.02

-35.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$15.28 $15.28

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 $2.58

-24.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.50 $3.50

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.34 $3.34

-23.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.43 $1.43

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.85 $25.85

$24.32 $24.32

6.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.26 $1.26

-20.63%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

5.26%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.14%

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

$302 $302

$193 $193

56.86%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$68.3 $68.3

-26.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$61.3 $61.3

15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 $64.8

$54.1 $54.1

19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 $10.33

$17.74 $17.74

-41.77%

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

$613 $613

$1,652 $1,652

-62.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K $14.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-54.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 $46.59

$66.1 $66.1

-29.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 $39.91

$51.2 $51.2

-22.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 $83.6

$100 $100

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 $96.7

$141 $141

-31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 $1,693

$2,446 $2,446

-30.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 $1,440

$1,678 $1,678

-14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,233 $3,233

$4,717 $4,717

-31.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,433 $2,433

$2,795 $2,795

-12.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,853 $6,853

$4,105 $4,105

66.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,051 $4,051

$2,650 $2,650

52.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,813 $4,813

$4,866 $4,866

-1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.81

-3.96%

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

Last update for Covington, LA: 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

Covington, LA

$1.4K 54.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 16.5% $238

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Covington, LA

$423 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 23.9% $101

Groceries & Markets

Covington, LA

$313 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 43.7% $137

Eating Out

Covington, LA

$266 10%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 29.2% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Covington, LA

$120 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 34.3% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Covington, LA

$85 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 4.9% $4.2

Getting Around

Covington, LA

$10 * 0.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 808% $85

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,693 in Covington, LA 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 1% 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 $56.0 in Covington, LA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $449 – making Covington, LA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Covington, LA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:09 3:09 AM

Same time as Covington, LA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,870

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Covington, LA Chicago, IL 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Covington, LA
Chicago, IL

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

Covington, LA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,657 in Covington, LA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,986 per month in Covington, LA 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 Covington, LA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Covington, LA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,657 in Covington, LA 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 $2,657 in Covington, LA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Covington, LA. 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.