Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hillsboro, OR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Hillsboro, OR: $2,898 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

139

Cost of Living Index in Hillsboro, OR
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Hillsboro, OR Living Index
147

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

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Hillsboro, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,898 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $2,898
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,926 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $3,926
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,954 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $4,954
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hillsboro, OR is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hillsboro, OR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hillsboro, OR by 113%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.12 $22.12

$20.71 $20.71

6.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 $61.1

$89.2 $89.2

-31.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 $7.78

$13.19 $13.19

-41.02%

Cappuccino

$4.75 $4.75

$5.66 $5.66

-16.08%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$2.64 $2.64

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.28 $2.28

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$6.87 $6.87

-29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$8.84 $8.84

-32.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.25 $1.25

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.72 $3.72

1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$5.39 $5.39

0.37%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$4.74 $4.74

-19.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$13.84 $13.84

-27.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.40 $14.40

-4.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.53 $19.53

$18.38 $18.38

6.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.22 $5.22

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.98 $1.98

-14.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.06 $4.06

-7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.97 $4.97

-32.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.67 $2.67

-18.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.66 $2.66

-17.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.24 $2.24

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$3.13 $3.13

-40.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 $10.08

$13.82 $13.82

-27.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 $13.57

$14.88 $14.88

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.54 $2.54

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.51 $3.51

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.43 $2.43

16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 $99.5

$73.5 $73.5

35.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 $4.85

$3.18 $3.18

52.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.39 $1.39

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.80 $29.80

$25.03 $25.03

19.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.20 $1.20

-4.17%

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

$18.6K $18.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-46.80%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-16.41%

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

$151 $151

$194 $194

-22.37%

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

$41.00 $41.00

$69.5 $69.5

-40.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.47 $48.47

$61.6 $61.6

-21.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 $52.3

$47.90 $47.90

9.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 $12.10

$27.34 $27.34

-55.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.18 $14.18

$17.81 $17.81

-20.38%

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

$1,208 $1,208

$1,794 $1,794

-32.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-62.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.21 $38.21

$67.0 $67.0

-42.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.70 $38.70

$52.1 $52.1

-25.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$102 $102

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 $85.9

$144 $144

-40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$2,526 $2,526

-25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$1,578 $1,578

3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,831 $2,831

$4,738 $4,738

-40.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,154 $2,154

$2,693 $2,693

-20.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,329 $3,329

$4,190 $4,190

-20.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 $3,328

$2,768 $2,768

20.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,697 $4,697

$4,931 $4,931

-4.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

6.81

-8.66%

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

Last update for Hillsboro, OR: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hillsboro, OR

$1.6K 56.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 3.7% $61

Groceries & Markets

Hillsboro, OR

$387 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 15.5% $60

Eating Out

Hillsboro, OR

$313 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.2% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hillsboro, OR

$240 8.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 35.4% $85

Getting Around

Hillsboro, OR

$122 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 23.7% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Hillsboro, OR

$116 4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 41.3% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Hillsboro, OR

$81 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 3.5% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,894 in Hillsboro, OR 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 5% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Hillsboro, OR versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $447 – making Hillsboro, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hillsboro, OR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:13 7:13 AM

09:13 9:13 AM

2 h ahead of Hillsboro, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,447

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

Hillsboro, OR Chicago, IL 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Hillsboro, OR
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

Hillsboro, OR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,898 in Hillsboro, OR, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Hillsboro, OR comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,348 per month in Hillsboro, OR 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 Hillsboro, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,894 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Hillsboro, OR 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 $2,898 in Hillsboro, OR 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 Hillsboro, OR – 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 Hillsboro, OR. 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.