Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabethtown, KY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Elizabethtown, KY: $2,040 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

97

Cost of Living Index in Elizabethtown, KY
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Elizabethtown, KY Living Index
146

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

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Elizabethtown, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,040

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,040 per month in Elizabethtown, KY vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elizabethtown, KY $2,040
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $2,929 per month in Elizabethtown, KY vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elizabethtown, KY $2,929
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $3,819 per month in Elizabethtown, KY vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elizabethtown, KY $3,819
Chicago, IL $6,019

Elizabethtown, KY is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Elizabethtown, KY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Elizabethtown, KY by 51%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 $15.02

$20.39 $20.39

-26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 $50.4

$88.6 $88.6

-43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$12.85 $12.85

-28.09%

Cappuccino

$4.81 $4.81

$5.78 $5.78

-16.78%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$2.74 $2.74

-17.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.26 $2.26

-26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$6.88 $6.88

-25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 $7.69

$9.24 $9.24

-16.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.26 $1.26

-34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.55 $3.55

-37.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$5.38 $5.38

-62.45%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$4.55 $4.55

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 $12.69

$13.65 $13.65

-7.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$14.07 $14.07

-21.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 $16.36

$18.06 $18.06

-9.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.16 $5.16

7.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.98 $1.98

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.88 $3.88

11.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.83 $4.83

0.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.81 $2.81

-9.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.67 $2.67

23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.07 $2.07

-2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.03 $3.03

-38.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.99 $5.99

$13.90 $13.90

-56.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.05 $15.05

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.63 $2.63

-20.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.45 $3.45

-10.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.17 $3.17

20.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.70 $1.70

-25.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.34 $25.34

$24.90 $24.90

1.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.28 $1.28

-36.72%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

2.56%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

-6.21%

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

$153 $153

$192 $192

-20.54%

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

$79.6 $79.6

$69.6 $69.6

14.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$62.2 $62.2

14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 $11.16

$17.83 $17.83

-37.41%

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

$1,333 $1,333

$1,815 $1,815

-26.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$40.6K $40.6K

-38.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.09 $45.09

$66.2 $66.2

-31.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 $40.55

$51.4 $51.4

-21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 $85.9

$103 $103

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 $85.9

$143 $143

-39.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 $1,169

$2,531 $2,531

-53.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 $964

$1,621 $1,621

-40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 $1,944

$4,828 $4,828

-59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$2,734 $2,734

-45.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,730 $1,730

$4,163 $4,163

-58.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,785 $1,785

$2,723 $2,723

-34.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,299 $3,299

$4,924 $4,924

-33.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.78

0.88%

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

Last update for Elizabethtown, KY: November 3, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Elizabethtown, KY

$964 47.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 68.1% $657

Groceries & Markets

Elizabethtown, KY

$362 17.7%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 21.5% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elizabethtown, KY

$303 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 6.7% $20

Eating Out

Elizabethtown, KY

$262 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 31.2% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Elizabethtown, KY

$116 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 41.3% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Elizabethtown, KY

$22 * 1.1%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 274% $61

Getting Around

Elizabethtown, KY

$10 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 855% $87

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,169 in Elizabethtown, KY 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 49% 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 $50 in Elizabethtown, KY versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $439 – making Elizabethtown, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elizabethtown, KY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:13 6:13 PM

17:13 5:13 PM

1 h behind Elizabethtown, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,406

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Elizabethtown, KY Chicago, IL 490 km

From you

Elizabethtown, KY
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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

Elizabethtown, KY vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,040 in Elizabethtown, KY, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Elizabethtown, KY comes out roughly 34% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,060 per month in Elizabethtown, KY 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 Elizabethtown, KY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,169 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Elizabethtown, KY and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Elizabethtown, KY, where all-in costs run around $2,040, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Elizabethtown, KY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elizabethtown, KY – 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 Elizabethtown, KY. 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.