Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hickory, NC: $2,078 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Hickory, NC
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Hickory, NC Living Index
147

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

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Hickory, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,078

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,078 per month in Hickory, NC vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hickory, NC $2,078
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,962 per month in Hickory, NC vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hickory, NC $2,962
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,847 per month in Hickory, NC vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hickory, NC $3,847
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hickory, NC is about 32% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hickory, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hickory, NC by 53%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 $15.01

$20.71 $20.71

-27.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 $61.7

$89.2 $89.2

-30.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$13.19 $13.19

-16.38%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$5.66 $5.66

-11.66%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$2.64 $2.64

-15.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.28 $2.28

-31.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$6.87 $6.87

-20.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 $6.79

$8.84 $8.84

-23.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.25 $1.25

-32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.72 $3.72

-1.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$5.39 $5.39

-42.12%

Eggs

$3.43 $3.43

$4.74 $4.74

-27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 $10.74

$13.84 $13.84

-22.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$14.40 $14.40

-37.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$18.38 $18.38

-7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$5.22 $5.22

-23.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.98 $1.98

-11.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.06 $4.06

-42.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.97 $4.97

-64.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.67 $2.67

-10.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.66 $2.66

22.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.24 $2.24

-20.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$3.13 $3.13

-32.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 $9.00

$13.82 $13.82

-34.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$14.88 $14.88

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.54 $2.54

-34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.51 $3.51

-16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.43 $2.43

-49.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.59 $44.59

$73.5 $73.5

-39.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.18 $3.18

-37.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.39 $1.39

63.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 $17.72

$25.03 $25.03

-29.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.20 $1.20

-31.67%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.85%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.50%

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

$141 $141

$194 $194

-27.67%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$69.5 $69.5

-13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 $54.1

$61.6 $61.6

-12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.46 $27.46

$47.90 $47.90

-42.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 $14.27

$17.81 $17.81

-19.88%

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

$354 $354

$1,794 $1,794

-80.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-20.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.75 $40.75

$67.0 $67.0

-39.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.24 $20.24

$52.1 $52.1

-61.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.51 $39.51

$102 $102

-61.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 $49.94

$144 $144

-65.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$2,526 $2,526

-48.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 $1,030

$1,578 $1,578

-34.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 $1,688

$4,738 $4,738

-64.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$2,693 $2,693

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,141 $2,141

$4,190 $4,190

-48.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,163 $2,163

$2,768 $2,768

-21.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,526 $4,526

$4,931 $4,931

-8.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.53

6.81

-18.80%

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

Last update for Hickory, NC: 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

Hickory, NC

$1K 49.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 53.2% $548

Groceries & Markets

Hickory, NC

$338 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 32.3% $109

Eating Out

Hickory, NC

$269 13%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 28.1% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hickory, NC

$255 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 27.9% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Hickory, NC

$68 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 142% $96

Getting Around

Hickory, NC

$63 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 48.7% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Hickory, NC

$56 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 49.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,299 in Hickory, NC 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 9% 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 $62 in Hickory, NC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $447 – making Hickory, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hickory, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:43 1:43 PM

12:43 12:43 PM

1 h behind Hickory, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,374

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Hickory, NC Chicago, IL 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Hickory, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,078 in Hickory, NC, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Hickory, NC comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,117 per month in Hickory, NC 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 Hickory, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,299 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Hickory, NC and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hickory, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,078, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Hickory, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hickory, 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 Hickory, 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.