Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Enterprise, Al and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Enterprise, Al: $2,553 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Enterprise, Al
🇺🇸 United States
$2,553
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,553 per month in Enterprise, Al vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Enterprise, Al $2,553
  • Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Enterprise, Al vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Enterprise, Al $3,579
  • Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,606 per month in Enterprise, Al vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Enterprise, Al $4,606
  • Chicago, IL $6,077

Enterprise, Al is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Enterprise, Al and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Enterprise, Al by 89%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.71 $17.71
$21.58 $21.58
-17.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.18 $44.18
$88.7 $88.7
-50.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.79 $8.79
$13.20 $13.20
-33.41%
Cappuccino
$4.49 $4.49
$5.59 $5.59
-19.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 $2.48
$2.63 $2.63
-5.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.26 $2.26
-17.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.72 $3.72
$7.11 $7.11
-47.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 $3.91
$9.23 $9.23
-57.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.28 $1.28
-23.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.11 $3.11
$3.84 $3.84
-19.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 $1.85
$5.07 $5.07
-63.51%
Eggs
$4.25 $4.25
$4.84 $4.84
-12.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.35 $9.35
$14.17 $14.17
-34.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.08 $8.08
$14.61 $14.61
-44.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.09 $13.09
$18.76 $18.76
-30.22%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$5.19 $5.19
-64.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 $1.09
$2.00 $2.00
-45.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 $3.03
$4.00 $4.00
-24.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 $2.14
$4.98 $4.98
-57.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.79 $2.79
-47.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$2.65 $2.65
-47.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.13 $2.13
-8.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$3.09 $3.09
-25.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 $6.91
$16.05 $16.05
-56.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.03 $15.03
$15.20 $15.20
-1.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.62 $2.62
-9.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 $3.70
$3.46 $3.46
6.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.47 $2.47
-19.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.1 $75.1
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$3.21 $3.21
-5.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.39 $1.39
16.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.59 $30.59
$25.02 $25.02
22.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.76 $0.76
$1.24 $1.24
-38.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K $35.3K
$37.2K $37.2K
-5.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$25.8K $25.8K
-1.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$281 $281
$192 $192
46.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$78.4 $78.4
$67.8 $67.8
15.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.2 $70.2
$60.9 $60.9
15.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.99 $40.99
$53.6 $53.6
-23.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.90 $27.90
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.25 $16.25
$17.80 $17.80
-8.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$588 $588
$1,554 $1,554
-62.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.1K $18.1K
$31.4K $31.4K
-42.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.49 $35.49
$67.9 $67.9
-47.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.81 $38.81
$50.8 $50.8
-23.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 $108
$101 $101
6.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 $137
$143 $143
-4.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,597 $1,597
$2,383 $2,383
-33.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,318 $1,318
$1,712 $1,712
-22.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,495 $2,495
$4,674 $4,674
-46.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,147 $2,147
$2,738 $2,738
-21.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,764 $2,764
$4,158 $4,158
-33.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,422 $2,422
$2,691 $2,691
-9.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Enterprise, Al
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,094 $3,094
$4,894 $4,894
-36.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
6.77
-40.92%

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

Last update for Enterprise, Al: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Enterprise, Al
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.7K 29.9% $394
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Enterprise, Al
$430
Chicago, IL
$321 25.3% $109
Groceries & Markets
Enterprise, Al
$304
Chicago, IL
$451 48.6% $148
Eating Out
Enterprise, Al
$266
Chicago, IL
$353 32.9% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Enterprise, Al
$144
Chicago, IL
$164 13.9% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Enterprise, Al
$73
Chicago, IL
$89 21.3% $16
Getting Around
Enterprise, Al
$19 *
Chicago, IL
$95 399% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Enterprise, Al versus $2,383 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 58% 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 $44.00 in Enterprise, Al versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $451 – making Enterprise, Al the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Enterprise, Al
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
06:28 6:28 AM
06:28 6:28 AM
Same time as Enterprise, Al
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,711
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Enterprise, Al Chicago, IL 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Enterprise, Al
  • 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
Enterprise, Al vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Enterprise, Al and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,553 in Enterprise, Al, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Enterprise, Al compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,830 per month in Enterprise, Al and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Enterprise, Al and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Enterprise, Al, 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 $44.00 in Enterprise, Al and $89.0 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?
Groceries cost about 49% 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.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,553 in Enterprise, Al and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Enterprise, Al and Chicago, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,553 in Enterprise, Al to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Enterprise, Al and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Enterprise, Al. 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.

Enterprise, Al vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?