Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dickinson, ND and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Dickinson, ND: $2,635 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Dickinson, ND
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Dickinson, ND Living Index
147

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

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Dickinson, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,635

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,635 per month in Dickinson, ND vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dickinson, ND $2,635
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,824 per month in Dickinson, ND vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dickinson, ND $3,824
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,013 per month in Dickinson, ND vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dickinson, ND $5,013
Chicago, IL $5,999

Dickinson, ND is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dickinson, ND and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dickinson, ND by 94%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$20.71 $20.71

-2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$89.2 $89.2

-14.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 $11.45

$13.19 $13.19

-13.19%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$5.66 $5.66

-4.77%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.64 $2.64

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.28 $2.28

-13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$6.87 $6.87

-15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 $7.37

$8.84 $8.84

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.25 $1.25

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.72 $3.72

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$5.39 $5.39

-45.64%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$4.74 $4.74

-11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$13.84 $13.84

-9.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$14.40 $14.40

-20.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 $17.27

$18.38 $18.38

-6.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$5.22 $5.22

-3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.98 $1.98

-21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.06 $4.06

-38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$4.97 $4.97

-2.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.67 $2.67

1.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.66 $2.66

15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.24 $2.24

-6.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.13 $3.13

-27.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$13.82 $13.82

-27.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 $15.13

$14.88 $14.88

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.54 $2.54

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.51 $3.51

-1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.43 $2.43

-18.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 $55.0

$73.5 $73.5

-25.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.18 $3.18

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.39 $1.39

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.33 $30.33

$25.03 $25.03

21.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.20 $1.20

-14.17%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.17%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.13%

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

$199 $199

$194 $194

2.14%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$69.5 $69.5

-15.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$61.6 $61.6

13.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 $41.59

$47.90 $47.90

-13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 $13.73

$17.81 $17.81

-22.91%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$1,794 $1,794

-22.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$67.0 $67.0

-20.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.04 $41.04

$52.1 $52.1

-21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$102 $102

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$144 $144

-20.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 $914

$2,526 $2,526

-63.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 $1,320

$1,578 $1,578

-16.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,506 $2,506

$4,738 $4,738

-47.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 $2,114

$2,693 $2,693

-21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,570 $1,570

$4,190 $4,190

-62.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 $1,617

$2,768 $2,768

-41.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Dickinson, ND: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dickinson, ND

$1.3K 50.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 19.5% $258

Groceries & Markets

Dickinson, ND

$387 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 15.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dickinson, ND

$327 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.5% $1.6

Eating Out

Dickinson, ND

$324 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 6.6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Dickinson, ND

$133 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 23% $31

Getting Around

Dickinson, ND

$75 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 24.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Dickinson, ND

$69 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 21% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Dickinson, ND versus $2,526 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Dickinson, ND versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $447 – making Dickinson, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dickinson, ND

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

01:50 1:50 AM

1 h ahead of Dickinson, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,636

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dickinson, ND Chicago, IL 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Dickinson, ND
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

Dickinson, ND vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,635 in Dickinson, ND, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Dickinson, ND comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,952 per month in Dickinson, ND and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dickinson, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $914 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Dickinson, ND and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,635 in Dickinson, ND and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dickinson, ND – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Dickinson, ND is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 13% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.