Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elko, NV and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Elko, NV: $2,632 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Elko, NV
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Elko, NV Living Index
152

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

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Elko, NV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,632

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,632 per month in Elko, NV vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elko, NV $2,632
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Elko, NV vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elko, NV $3,813
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,995 per month in Elko, NV vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elko, NV $4,995
Chicago, IL $6,115

Elko, NV is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Elko, NV and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Elko, NV by 94%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 $20.36

$20.65 $20.65

-1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$90.2 $90.2

-17.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 $11.54

$12.94 $12.94

-10.82%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$5.60 $5.60

-2.50%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.64 $2.64

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.27 $2.27

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.98 $6.98

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$8.83 $8.83

-16.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.27 $1.27

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.80 $3.80

48.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$5.30 $5.30

-16.98%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.76 $4.76

-12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$13.96 $13.96

-10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$14.61 $14.61

-20.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$18.77 $18.77

-7.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$5.19 $5.19

-6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.98 $1.98

-23.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.93 $3.93

11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.96 $4.96

-7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.76 $2.76

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.76 $2.76

6.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.22 $2.22

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.98 $2.98

-23.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$14.02 $14.02

-28.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.28 $15.28

-3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.58 $2.58

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.50 $3.50

-2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.47 $2.47

-23.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.34 $3.34

-5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.43 $1.43

20.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.57 $33.57

$24.32 $24.32

38.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.26 $1.26

4.76%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.55%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

-11.36%

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

$202 $202

$193 $193

4.58%

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

$75.2 $75.2

$68.3 $68.3

10.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$61.3 $61.3

14.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.44 $41.44

$54.1 $54.1

-23.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$17.74 $17.74

-22.32%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$1,652 $1,652

-13.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-24.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$66.1 $66.1

-18.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 $41.59

$51.2 $51.2

-18.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$100 $100

-13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$141 $141

-17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$2,446 $2,446

-35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$1,678 $1,678

-21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,655 $2,655

$4,717 $4,717

-43.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 $2,104

$2,795 $2,795

-24.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,721 $2,721

$4,105 $4,105

-33.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,725 $2,725

$2,650 $2,650

2.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,085 $6,085

$4,866 $4,866

25.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.81

0.59%

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

Last update for Elko, NV: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Elko, NV

$1.3K 50.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27.3% $360

Groceries & Markets

Elko, NV

$418 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 7.5% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elko, NV

$347 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 7.1% $25

Eating Out

Elko, NV

$326 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 5.2% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Elko, NV

$134 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 20.3% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Elko, NV

$69 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 29.8% $21

Getting Around

Elko, NV

$19 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 393% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,587 in Elko, NV 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.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Elko, NV, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Elko, NV versus $90 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $449 – making Elko, NV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elko, NV

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:57 3:57 PM

17:57 5:57 PM

2 h ahead of Elko, NV

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,018

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Elko, NV Chicago, IL 2,340 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Elko, NV
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

Elko, NV vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,632 in Elko, NV, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,948 per month in Elko, NV and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elko, NV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,587 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Elko, NV and $90 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,632 in Elko, NV and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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