Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Highlands Ranch, CO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Highlands Ranch, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

161

Cost of Living Index in Highlands Ranch, CO
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Highlands Ranch, CO Living Index
152

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

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Highlands Ranch, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,365

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,365 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Highlands Ranch, CO $3,365
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,987 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Highlands Ranch, CO $2,987
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $2,609 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Highlands Ranch, CO $2,609
Chicago, IL $6,115

Highlands Ranch, CO costs about 7% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Highlands Ranch, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Highlands Ranch, CO by 148%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$20.65 $20.65

-26.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$90.2 $90.2

-11.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$12.94 $12.94

-21.17%

Cappuccino

$6.26 $6.26

$5.60 $5.60

11.79%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$2.64 $2.64

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.27 $2.27

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$6.98 $6.98

-27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$8.83 $8.83

-30.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.80 $3.80

-23.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.30 $5.30

-47.17%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$4.76 $4.76

-10.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$13.96 $13.96

-22.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$14.61 $14.61

-50.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$18.77 $18.77

1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.19 $5.19

-22.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.98 $1.98

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.93 $3.93

23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.96 $4.96

6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.76 $2.76

30.80%

Onion (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.76 $2.76

65.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.98 $2.98

-42.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$14.02 $14.02

-25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$15.28 $15.28

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.58 $2.58

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.50 $3.50

-25.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.34 $3.34

-25.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.43 $1.43

32.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$24.32 $24.32

4.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.26 $1.26

-19.05%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.01%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.49%

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

$215 $215

$193 $193

11.46%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$68.3 $68.3

-16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$61.3 $61.3

12.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 $11.99

$17.74 $17.74

-32.41%

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

$1,306 $1,306

$1,652 $1,652

-20.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$66.1 $66.1

-8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 $68.4

$51.2 $51.2

33.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$100 $100

-21.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$141 $141

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 $2,864

$2,446 $2,446

17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 $2,190

$1,678 $1,678

30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,275 $7,275

$4,866 $4,866

49.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.81

-1.62%

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

Last update for Highlands Ranch, CO: 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

Highlands Ranch, CO

$2.2K 65.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 23.4% $513

Groceries & Markets

Highlands Ranch, CO

$368 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 22.1% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Highlands Ranch, CO

$340 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5.3% $18

Eating Out

Highlands Ranch, CO

$284 8.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 20.9% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Highlands Ranch, CO

$146 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 10.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Highlands Ranch, CO

$24 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 274% $66

Getting Around

Highlands Ranch, CO

$12 * 0.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 697% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,864 in Highlands Ranch, CO 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 50% higher in Highlands Ranch, CO, 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 Highlands Ranch, CO versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $449 – making Highlands Ranch, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Highlands Ranch, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:48 5:48 PM

18:48 6:48 PM

1 h ahead of Highlands Ranch, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highlands Ranch, CO Chicago, IL 1,480 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Highlands Ranch, CO
Chicago, IL

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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

Highlands Ranch, CO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Highlands Ranch, CO costs about 7% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,047 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Highlands Ranch, CO and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Highlands Ranch, CO – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Highlands Ranch, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.