Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between High Point, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in High Point, NC: $2,198 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in High Point, NC
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High Point, NC Living Index
153

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

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High Point, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,198

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,198 per month in High Point, NC vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

High Point, NC $2,198
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in High Point, NC vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

High Point, NC $3,170
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,141 per month in High Point, NC vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

High Point, NC $4,141
Chicago, IL $6,077

High Point, NC is about 31% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both High Point, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – High Point, NC by 63%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$21.58 $21.58

-17.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$88.7 $88.7

-9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$13.20 $13.20

-25.30%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$5.59 $5.59

-4.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.63 $2.63

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.11 $7.11

-31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$9.23 $9.23

-35.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.28 $1.28

-20.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.84 $3.84

3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$5.07 $5.07

-36.88%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$4.84 $4.84

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.55 $16.55

$14.17 $14.17

16.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.93 $13.93

$14.61 $14.61

-4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.84 $17.84

$18.76 $18.76

-4.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.19 $5.19

2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.00 $2.00

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$4.00 $4.00

18.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.98 $4.98

-9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.79 $2.79

35.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.65 $2.65

23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.13 $2.13

-3.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.09 $3.09

-23.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.19 $8.19

$16.05 $16.05

-48.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$15.20 $15.20

0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.62 $2.62

-35.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.46 $3.46

8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.47 $2.47

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 $79.1

$75.1 $75.1

5.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.21 $3.21

-5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.39 $1.39

30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.08 $15.08

$25.02 $25.02

-39.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.24 $1.24

-16.94%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-2.96%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

-2.16%

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

$176 $176

$192 $192

-8.63%

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

$51.3 $51.3

$67.8 $67.8

-24.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 $73.6

$60.9 $60.9

20.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$17.80 $17.80

-33.03%

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

$1,309 $1,309

$1,554 $1,554

-15.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,982 $9,982

$31.4K $31.4K

-68.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 $38.44

$67.9 $67.9

-43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 $34.39

$50.8 $50.8

-32.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$101 $101

-15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$143 $143

-23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 $1,171

$2,383 $2,383

-50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 $930

$1,712 $1,712

-45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$4,674 $4,674

-68.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$2,738 $2,738

-53.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,960 $1,960

$4,158 $4,158

-52.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,954 $1,954

$2,691 $2,691

-27.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,420 $4,420

$4,894 $4,894

-9.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.77

-4.28%

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

Last update for High Point, NC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

High Point, NC

$930 42.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 84.2% $782

Groceries & Markets

High Point, NC

$430 19.6%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 4.9% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

High Point, NC

$301 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 6.8% $20

Eating Out

High Point, NC

$291 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 21.3% $62

Clothing & Footwear

High Point, NC

$121 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 35% $42

Getting Around

High Point, NC

$101 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 6.2% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

High Point, NC

$24 * 1.1%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 274% $65

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,171 in High Point, NC versus $2,383 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 11% 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 $80.0 in High Point, NC versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $430 vs $451 – making High Point, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 High Point, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:57 4:57 AM

03:57 3:57 AM

1 h behind High Point, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

104,371

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

High Point, NC Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

High Point, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,198 in High Point, NC, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 45% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,297 per month in High Point, NC and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in High Point, NC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $80.0 in High Point, NC and $89.0 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 High Point, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,198, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In High Point, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,198 in High Point, NC to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with High Point, NC. 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.