Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dodge City, KS and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Dodge City, KS: $2,665 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Dodge City, KS
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Dodge City, KS Living Index
146

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

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Dodge City, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,665

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,665 per month in Dodge City, KS vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dodge City, KS $2,665
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,806 per month in Dodge City, KS vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dodge City, KS $3,806
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,947 per month in Dodge City, KS vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dodge City, KS $4,947
Chicago, IL $6,019

Dodge City, KS is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dodge City, KS and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dodge City, KS by 97%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 $18.82

$20.39 $20.39

-7.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 $55.3

$88.6 $88.6

-37.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 $10.71

$12.85 $12.85

-16.65%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$5.78 $5.78

-7.44%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$2.74 $2.74

-13.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.26 $2.26

-15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.88 $6.88

-21.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$9.24 $9.24

-34.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.26 $1.26

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.55 $3.55

3.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$5.38 $5.38

7.06%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$4.55 $4.55

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$13.65 $13.65

-19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$14.07 $14.07

-20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.75 $18.75

$18.06 $18.06

3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$5.16 $5.16

-51.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.98 $1.98

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.88 $3.88

-3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$4.83 $4.83

-50.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.81 $2.81

-9.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.67 $2.67

-15.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.07 $2.07

15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.03 $3.03

-21.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 $9.67

$13.90 $13.90

-30.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 $12.17

$15.05 $15.05

-19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.63 $2.63

-17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.45 $3.45

8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.43 $2.43

-13.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 $67.9

$75.3 $75.3

-9.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.17 $3.17

-23.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.70 $1.70

-6.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.47 $39.47

$24.90 $24.90

58.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.28 $1.28

-23.44%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

-20.03%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.65%

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

$274 $274

$192 $192

42.86%

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

$76.0 $76.0

$69.6 $69.6

9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 $62.7

$62.2 $62.2

0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.50 $38.50

$47.79 $47.79

-19.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 $14.86

$17.83 $17.83

-16.66%

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

$899 $899

$1,815 $1,815

-50.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K $18.0K

$40.6K $40.6K

-55.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.47 $47.47

$66.2 $66.2

-28.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.24 $30.24

$51.4 $51.4

-41.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$103 $103

2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$143 $143

-24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 $1,598

$2,531 $2,531

-36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$1,621 $1,621

-20.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,602 $2,602

$4,828 $4,828

-46.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$2,734 $2,734

-22.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,827 $2,827

$4,163 $4,163

-32.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,344 $2,344

$2,723 $2,723

-13.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,866 $2,866

$4,924 $4,924

-41.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.78

-3.10%

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

Last update for Dodge City, KS: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dodge City, KS

$1.3K 48.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 25.8% $333

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dodge City, KS

$413 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 21.6% $89

Groceries & Markets

Dodge City, KS

$374 14%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 17.4% $65

Eating Out

Dodge City, KS

$303 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 13.5% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Dodge City, KS

$131 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 24.5% $32

Getting Around

Dodge City, KS

$87 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 11.5% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Dodge City, KS

$68 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 22.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,598 in Dodge City, KS versus $2,531 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 72% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Dodge City, KS versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $439 – making Dodge City, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dodge City, KS

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:42 5:42 PM

Same time as Dodge City, KS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,101

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Dodge City, KS Chicago, IL 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Dodge City, KS
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

Dodge City, KS vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,665 in Dodge City, KS, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Dodge City, KS comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,998 per month in Dodge City, KS and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dodge City, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,598 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Dodge City, KS and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dodge City, KS, where all-in costs run around $2,665, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Dodge City, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dodge City, KS – 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 Dodge City, KS. 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.