Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gillette, WY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Gillette, WY: $2,631 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gillette, WY, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Gillette, WY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,631
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,631 per month in Gillette, WY vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Gillette, WY $2,631
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,852 per month in Gillette, WY vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Gillette, WY $3,852
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,074 per month in Gillette, WY vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Gillette, WY $5,074
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Gillette, WY is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gillette, WY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Gillette, WY by 93%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.67 $22.67
$20.71 $20.71
9.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.6 $76.6
$89.2 $89.2
-14.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.51 $12.51
$13.19 $13.19
-5.16%
Cappuccino
$4.89 $4.89
$5.66 $5.66
-13.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$2.64 $2.64
-0.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 $1.83
$2.28 $2.28
-19.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.98 $5.98
$6.87 $6.87
-12.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.15 $8.15
$8.84 $8.84
-7.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.25 $1.25
-18.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.61 $3.61
$3.72 $3.72
-2.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.25 $4.25
$5.39 $5.39
-21.15%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$4.74 $4.74
-12.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.21 $12.21
$13.84 $13.84
-11.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.40 $11.40
$14.40 $14.40
-20.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.78 $16.78
$18.38 $18.38
-8.71%
Apples (1kg)
$4.28 $4.28
$5.22 $5.22
-18.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.98 $1.98
-20.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$4.06 $4.06
14.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.48 $4.48
$4.97 $4.97
-9.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$2.67 $2.67
11.99%
Onion (1kg)
$2.68 $2.68
$2.66 $2.66
0.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 $2.32
$2.24 $2.24
3.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$3.13 $3.13
-38.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.89 $9.89
$13.82 $13.82
-28.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.98 $16.98
$14.88 $14.88
14.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.54 $2.54
-15.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 $3.42
$3.51 $3.51
-2.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.43 $2.43
-16.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.1 $51.1
$73.5 $73.5
-30.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.70 $2.70
$3.18 $3.18
-15.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.79 $1.79
$1.39 $1.39
28.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.06 $34.06
$25.03 $25.03
36.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.20 $1.20
-5.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$35.0K $35.0K
-27.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$26.7K $26.7K
-8.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 $200
$194 $194
3.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.7 $55.7
$69.5 $69.5
-19.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$61.6 $61.6
14.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.67 $39.67
$47.90 $47.90
-17.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.67 $12.67
$17.81 $17.81
-28.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,340 $1,340
$1,794 $1,794
-25.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.1K $26.1K
$31.9K $31.9K
-18.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.82 $44.82
$67.0 $67.0
-33.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.73 $39.73
$52.1 $52.1
-23.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 $91.5
$102 $102
-9.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 $121
$144 $144
-15.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,539 $1,539
$2,526 $2,526
-39.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,299 $1,299
$1,578 $1,578
-17.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,528 $2,528
$4,738 $4,738
-46.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,142 $2,142
$2,693 $2,693
-20.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,772 $1,772
$4,190 $4,190
-57.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,766 $1,766
$2,768 $2,768
-36.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gillette, WY
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,735 $6,735
$4,931 $4,931
36.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.1
6.81
4.26%

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

Last update for Gillette, WY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gillette, WY
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 21.5% $279
Groceries & Markets
Gillette, WY
$394
Chicago, IL
$447 13.5% $53
Eating Out
Gillette, WY
$342
Chicago, IL
$345 1% $3.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gillette, WY
$327
Chicago, IL
$326 0.3% $1.1
Clothing & Footwear
Gillette, WY
$134
Chicago, IL
$164 22.5% $30
Getting Around
Gillette, WY
$71
Chicago, IL
$93 31.8% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Gillette, WY
$65
Chicago, IL
$84 28.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,539 in Gillette, WY versus $2,526 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 37% higher in Gillette, WY, 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 $77 in Gillette, WY versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $447 – making Gillette, WY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Gillette, WY
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
08:03 8:03 AM
09:03 9:03 AM
1 h ahead of Gillette, WY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,978
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gillette, WY Chicago, IL 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Gillette, WY
  • 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
Gillette, WY vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Gillette, WY and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,631 in Gillette, WY, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Gillette, WY compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,946 per month in Gillette, WY and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Gillette, WY and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gillette, WY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,539 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 14% 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 has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in Gillette, WY and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Gillette, WY, where all-in costs run around $2,631, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Gillette, WY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Gillette, WY or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Gillette, WY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Gillette, WY or Chicago, IL?
For expats, Gillette, WY is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 15% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Gillette, WY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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