Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Fayetteville, NC: $2,242 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Fayetteville, NC
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Fayetteville, NC Living Index
146

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

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Fayetteville, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,242

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,242 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC $2,242
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,169 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC $3,169
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,097 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC $4,097
Chicago, IL $6,019

Fayetteville, NC is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fayetteville, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fayetteville, NC by 66%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 $18.60

$20.39 $20.39

-8.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 $60.9

$88.6 $88.6

-31.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$12.85 $12.85

-6.38%

Cappuccino

$4.84 $4.84

$5.78 $5.78

-16.26%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$2.74 $2.74

-18.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.26 $2.26

-25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.88 $6.88

-25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 $6.31

$9.24 $9.24

-31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.26 $1.26

-30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.55 $3.55

6.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$5.38 $5.38

-38.85%

Eggs

$3.73 $3.73

$4.55 $4.55

-18.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$13.65 $13.65

-24.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$14.07 $14.07

-38.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.91 $16.91

$18.06 $18.06

-6.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.16 $5.16

-21.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.98 $1.98

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.88 $3.88

3.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.83 $4.83

-7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.81 $2.81

-16.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.67 $2.67

19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.07 $2.07

-13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.03 $3.03

-32.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 $8.70

$13.90 $13.90

-37.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 $12.35

$15.05 $15.05

-17.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.63 $2.63

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.45 $3.45

-11.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.43 $2.43

-47.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.48 $40.48

$75.3 $75.3

-46.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.17 $3.17

16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 $1.70

3.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 $23.62

$24.90 $24.90

-5.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.28 $1.28

-22.66%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

-24.52%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.87%

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

$180 $180

$192 $192

-6.24%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$69.6 $69.6

1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 $64.0

$62.2 $62.2

2.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.88 $17.88

$47.79 $47.79

-62.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.88 $39.88

$27.10 $27.10

47.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 $13.10

$17.83 $17.83

-26.53%

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

$759 $759

$1,815 $1,815

-58.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K $14.6K

$40.6K $40.6K

-64.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$66.2 $66.2

-23.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.15 $37.15

$51.4 $51.4

-27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$103 $103

-31.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$143 $143

-18.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 $1,337

$2,531 $2,531

-47.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 $1,048

$1,621 $1,621

-35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$4,828 $4,828

-53.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 $1,463

$2,734 $2,734

-46.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,861 $1,861

$4,163 $4,163

-55.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 $1,441

$2,723 $2,723

-47.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,053 $3,053

$4,924 $4,924

-38.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.78

-6.19%

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

Last update for Fayetteville, NC: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fayetteville, NC

$1K 46.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 54.6% $573

Groceries & Markets

Fayetteville, NC

$355 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 23.6% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fayetteville, NC

$315 14%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 2.9% $9.2

Eating Out

Fayetteville, NC

$297 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 15.8% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Fayetteville, NC

$124 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 31.9% $40

Getting Around

Fayetteville, NC

$58 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 66.5% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Fayetteville, NC

$44 2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 89.3% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,337 in Fayetteville, NC 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 61% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Fayetteville, NC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $439 – making Fayetteville, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fayetteville, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:29 6:29 PM

17:29 5:29 PM

1 h behind Fayetteville, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

93,949

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Fayetteville, NC Chicago, IL 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Fayetteville, NC
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

Fayetteville, NC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,242 in Fayetteville, NC, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Fayetteville, NC comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,362 per month in Fayetteville, NC 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 Fayetteville, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,337 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Fayetteville, NC and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,242 in Fayetteville, NC and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fayetteville, NC – 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 Fayetteville, NC. 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.