Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Haines, AK and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Haines, AK: $2,570 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Haines, AK
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Haines, AK Living Index
147

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

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Haines, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,570

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,570 per month in Haines, AK vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Haines, AK $2,570
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,869 per month in Haines, AK vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Haines, AK $3,869
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,167 per month in Haines, AK vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Haines, AK $5,167
Chicago, IL $5,999

Haines, AK is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Haines, AK and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Haines, AK by 89%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$20.71 $20.71

-5.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$89.2 $89.2

-9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$13.19 $13.19

-23.73%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$5.66 $5.66

-7.07%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.64 $2.64

15.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.28 $2.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 $5.40

$6.87 $6.87

-21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$8.84 $8.84

-22.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 $1.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.72 $3.72

9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$5.39 $5.39

-29.13%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$4.74 $4.74

-15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$13.84 $13.84

-22.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$14.40 $14.40

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.63 $19.63

$18.38 $18.38

6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.22 $5.22

-15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.98 $1.98

-7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.06 $4.06

5.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.97 $4.97

-5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.67 $2.67

-3.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.66 $2.66

2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.24 $2.24

-16.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.13 $3.13

-38.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 $11.27

$13.82 $13.82

-18.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.40 $16.40

$14.88 $14.88

10.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.54 $2.54

-14.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.51 $3.51

6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.43 $2.43

-12.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.5 $52.5

$73.5 $73.5

-28.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.18 $3.18

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.39 $1.39

38.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.67 $32.67

$25.03 $25.03

30.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.20 $1.20

14.17%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-31.36%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

4.25%

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

$197 $197

$194 $194

1.22%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$69.5 $69.5

-16.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$61.6 $61.6

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.43 $39.43

$47.90 $47.90

-17.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.25 $14.25

$17.81 $17.81

-19.99%

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

$1,277 $1,277

$1,794 $1,794

-28.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K $26.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-18.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$67.0 $67.0

-15.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 $39.05

$52.1 $52.1

-25.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$102 $102

-2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 $97.9

$144 $144

-31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$2,526 $2,526

-38.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$1,578 $1,578

-20.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,861 $2,861

$4,738 $4,738

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 $2,238

$2,693 $2,693

-16.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,139 $3,139

$4,190 $4,190

-25.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,002 $2,002

$2,768 $2,768

-27.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Haines, AK: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Haines, AK

$1.3K 48.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 25.8% $323

Groceries & Markets

Haines, AK

$406 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.1% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Haines, AK

$325 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.1% $0.4

Eating Out

Haines, AK

$311 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Haines, AK

$132 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 24.4% $32

Getting Around

Haines, AK

$74 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 26.8% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Haines, AK

$68 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 22.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,543 in Haines, AK 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Haines, AK versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $447 – making Haines, AK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Haines, AK

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:37 12:37 PM

15:37 3:37 PM

3 h ahead of Haines, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,713

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Haines, AK Chicago, IL 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Haines, AK
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

Haines, AK vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,570 in Haines, AK, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Haines, AK comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,856 per month in Haines, AK and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Haines, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,543 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Haines, AK 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 $2,570 in Haines, AK and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Haines, AK is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 15% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.