Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Durango, CO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Durango, CO and in Chicago, IL: $3,047 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Durango, CO
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Durango, CO Living Index
147

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

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Durango, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,047

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,047 per month in Durango, CO vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Durango, CO $3,047
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,118 per month in Durango, CO vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Durango, CO $4,118
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,189 per month in Durango, CO vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Durango, CO $5,189
Chicago, IL $5,999

Durango, CO and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Durango, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Durango, CO by 124%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$20.71 $20.71

-26.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$89.2 $89.2

-33.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 $7.80

$13.19 $13.19

-40.86%

Cappuccino

$4.62 $4.62

$5.66 $5.66

-18.37%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$2.64 $2.64

9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.28 $2.28

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.87 $6.87

-10.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 $6.76

$8.84 $8.84

-23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 $1.25

-20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.72 $3.72

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$5.39 $5.39

-38.78%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$4.74 $4.74

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 $12.04

$13.84 $13.84

-13.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 $9.62

$14.40 $14.40

-33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$18.38 $18.38

-40.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.22 $5.22

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.98 $1.98

-28.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.06 $4.06

3.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.97 $4.97

4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.67 $2.67

20.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.66 $2.66

20.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.24 $2.24

-8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.13 $3.13

-8.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 $11.04

$13.82 $13.82

-20.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$14.88 $14.88

-72.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.54 $2.54

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.51 $3.51

0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 $30.45

$73.5 $73.5

-58.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.18 $3.18

16.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.39 $1.39

42.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.02 $32.02

$25.03 $25.03

27.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.20 $1.20

-30.83%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.98%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.59%

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

$155 $155

$194 $194

-20.52%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$69.5 $69.5

-25.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$61.6 $61.6

10.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.90 $18.90

$47.90 $47.90

-60.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$17.81 $17.81

-33.18%

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

$1,345 $1,345

$1,794 $1,794

-24.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K $25.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-20.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$67.0 $67.0

-19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.97 $42.97

$52.1 $52.1

-17.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$144 $144

-18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,361 $2,361

$2,526 $2,526

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 $1,926

$1,578 $1,578

22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,370 $3,370

$4,738 $4,738

-28.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,693 $2,693

1.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,887 $4,887

$4,190 $4,190

16.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,884 $4,884

$2,768 $2,768

76.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,737 $4,737

$4,931 $4,931

-3.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.81

-6.61%

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

Last update for Durango, CO: 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

Durango, CO

$1.9K 63.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 18.1% $348

Groceries & Markets

Durango, CO

$351 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 27.5% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Durango, CO

$275 9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18.5% $51

Eating Out

Durango, CO

$266 8.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 29.5% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Durango, CO

$143 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 14.9% $21

Getting Around

Durango, CO

$44 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 112% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Durango, CO

$43 1.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 95.6% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,361 in Durango, CO 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.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Durango, CO versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $447 – making Durango, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Durango, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:56 8:56 AM

09:56 9:56 AM

1 h ahead of Durango, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,071

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Durango, CO Chicago, IL 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Durango, CO
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

Durango, CO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,571 per month in Durango, CO and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,361 in Durango, CO and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Durango, CO and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Durango, CO. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,047 in Durango, CO and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,047 in Durango, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.