Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edgewood, NM and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Edgewood, NM: $2,725 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Edgewood, NM
🇺🇸 United States
$2,725
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,139
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,725 per month in Edgewood, NM vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Edgewood, NM $2,725
  • Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,970 per month in Edgewood, NM vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Edgewood, NM $3,970
  • Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,215 per month in Edgewood, NM vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Edgewood, NM $5,215
  • Chicago, IL $6,115

Edgewood, NM is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Edgewood, NM and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Edgewood, NM by 101%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.91 $16.91
$20.65 $20.65
-18.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 $78.9
$90.2 $90.2
-12.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.13 $12.13
$12.94 $12.94
-6.26%
Cappuccino
$5.59 $5.59
$5.60 $5.60
-0.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 $2.97
$2.64 $2.64
12.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$2.27 $2.27
4.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.16 $6.16
$6.98 $6.98
-11.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.81 $6.81
$8.83 $8.83
-22.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.27 $1.27
-7.87%
White Bread (500g)
$4.46 $4.46
$3.80 $3.80
17.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.44 $5.44
$5.30 $5.30
2.64%
Eggs
$4.19 $4.19
$4.76 $4.76
-11.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.39 $16.39
$13.96 $13.96
17.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.43 $20.43
$14.61 $14.61
39.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.66 $16.66
$18.77 $18.77
-11.24%
Apples (1kg)
$5.87 $5.87
$5.19 $5.19
13.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.98 $1.98
-9.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.73 $3.73
$3.93 $3.93
-5.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.46 $4.46
$4.96 $4.96
-10.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.76 $2.76
0.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.12 $2.12
$2.76 $2.76
-23.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.55 $2.55
$2.22 $2.22
14.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.98 $2.98
-15.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.94 $10.94
$14.02 $14.02
-21.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.97 $15.97
$15.28 $15.28
4.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 $2.10
$2.58 $2.58
-18.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 $4.15
$3.50 $3.50
18.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.47 $2.47
-10.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$74.8 $74.8
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.65 $2.65
$3.34 $3.34
-20.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.43 $1.43
12.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.43 $26.43
$24.32 $24.32
8.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.26 $1.26
-13.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$35.0K $35.0K
-24.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$26.1K $26.1K
-2.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 $248
$193 $193
28.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.13 $44.13
$68.3 $68.3
-35.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$94.4 $94.4
$61.3 $61.3
53.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.19 $42.19
$54.1 $54.1
-22.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.92 $27.92
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.70 $17.70
$17.74 $17.74
-0.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,325 $1,325
$1,652 $1,652
-19.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K $15.2K
$31.1K $31.1K
-51.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.1 $60.1
$66.1 $66.1
-8.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.6 $56.6
$51.2 $51.2
10.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.7 $80.7
$100 $100
-19.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 $111
$141 $141
-21.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,567 $1,567
$2,446 $2,446
-35.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,321 $1,321
$1,678 $1,678
-21.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,523 $2,523
$4,717 $4,717
-46.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,186 $2,186
$2,795 $2,795
-21.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,480 $2,480
$4,105 $4,105
-39.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,271 $2,271
$2,650 $2,650
-14.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edgewood, NM
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,866 $4,866
-
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 Edgewood, NM: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edgewood, NM
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.7K 27% $357
Groceries & Markets
Edgewood, NM
$477
Chicago, IL
$449 5.8% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edgewood, NM
$387
Chicago, IL
$322 16.7% $65
Eating Out
Edgewood, NM
$304
Chicago, IL
$343 12.8% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Edgewood, NM
$139
Chicago, IL
$161 16.4% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Edgewood, NM
$78
Chicago, IL
$90 15.5% $12
Getting Around
Edgewood, NM
$20 *
Chicago, IL
$95 387% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,567 in Edgewood, NM 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Edgewood, NM versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $477 in Edgewood, NM vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Edgewood, NM
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
22:36 10:36 PM
23:36 11:36 PM
1 h ahead of Edgewood, NM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,000
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Edgewood, NM Chicago, IL 1,780 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Edgewood, NM
  • 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
Edgewood, NM vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Edgewood, NM and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,725 in Edgewood, NM, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Edgewood, NM compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,088 per month in Edgewood, NM and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Edgewood, NM and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Edgewood, NM, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Edgewood, NM and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,725 in Edgewood, NM and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Edgewood, NM and Chicago, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,725 in Edgewood, NM to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Edgewood, NM and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Edgewood, NM. 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.

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