Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Flagstaff, AZ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Flagstaff, AZ: $2,981 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

144

Cost of Living Index in Flagstaff, AZ
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Flagstaff, AZ Living Index
152

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

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Flagstaff, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,981

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,981 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ $2,981
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,349 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ $4,349
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,716 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ $5,716
Chicago, IL $6,115

Flagstaff, AZ is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Flagstaff, AZ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Flagstaff, AZ by 120%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$20.65 $20.65

-2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$90.2 $90.2

-12.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.24 $14.24

$12.94 $12.94

10.05%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$5.60 $5.60

9.29%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.64 $2.64

22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.27 $2.27

5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.98 $6.98

-14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$8.83 $8.83

-22.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.27 $1.27

-34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.80 $3.80

-31.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.30 $5.30

-18.30%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$4.76 $4.76

-6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$13.96 $13.96

1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.29 $7.29

$14.61 $14.61

-50.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$18.77 $18.77

-40.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$5.19 $5.19

-25.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.98 $1.98

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.93 $3.93

-9.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.96 $4.96

-21.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.76 $2.76

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.76 $2.76

-19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.22 $2.22

3.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.98 $2.98

-15.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 $10.48

$14.02 $14.02

-25.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$15.28 $15.28

-21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.58 $2.58

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.50 $3.50

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.47 $2.47

-60.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.11 $32.11

$74.8 $74.8

-57.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.34 $3.34

-16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.43 $1.43

-1.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.93 $35.93

$24.32 $24.32

47.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.26 $1.26

-6.35%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

2.69%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.08%

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

$240 $240

$193 $193

24.60%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$68.3 $68.3

-23.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$61.3 $61.3

26.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 $69.6

$54.1 $54.1

28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.61 $19.61

$27.92 $27.92

-29.76%

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 $13.93

$17.74 $17.74

-21.48%

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

$1,812 $1,812

$1,652 $1,652

9.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$31.1K $31.1K

-25.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.1 $66.1

-7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.32 $35.32

$51.2 $51.2

-31.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$100 $100

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$141 $141

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 $2,013

$2,446 $2,446

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$1,678 $1,678

-2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,384 $3,384

$4,717 $4,717

-28.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

-0.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,436 $4,436

$4,105 $4,105

8.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 $4,112

$2,650 $2,650

55.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 $3,884

$4,866 $4,866

-20.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.81

-5.14%

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

Last update for Flagstaff, AZ: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Flagstaff, AZ

$1.6K 54.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 2.7% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Flagstaff, AZ

$370 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 12.8% $47

Eating Out

Flagstaff, AZ

$344 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 0.1% $0.3

Groceries & Markets

Flagstaff, AZ

$336 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 33.6% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Flagstaff, AZ

$155 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 4% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Flagstaff, AZ

$97 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 8% $7.8

Getting Around

Flagstaff, AZ

$46 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 108% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,013 in Flagstaff, AZ 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 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 $79.0 in Flagstaff, AZ versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $449 – making Flagstaff, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Flagstaff, AZ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:49 3:49 AM

05:49 5:49 AM

2 h ahead of Flagstaff, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,831

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Flagstaff, AZ Chicago, IL 2,210 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Flagstaff, AZ
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

Flagstaff, AZ vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,981 in Flagstaff, AZ, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,472 per month in Flagstaff, AZ 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 Flagstaff, AZ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Flagstaff, AZ and $90.0 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 $2,981 in Flagstaff, AZ and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,981 in Flagstaff, AZ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Flagstaff, AZ. 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.