Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilo, HI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilo, HI: $2,865 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

136

Cost of Living Index in Hilo, HI
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Hilo, HI Living Index
146

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

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Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,865

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,865 per month in Hilo, HI vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hilo, HI $2,865
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,388 per month in Hilo, HI vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hilo, HI $4,388
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,910 per month in Hilo, HI vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hilo, HI $5,910
Chicago, IL $6,019

Hilo, HI is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Hilo, HI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hilo, HI by 112%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$20.39 $20.39

1.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$88.6 $88.6

-9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.85 $12.85

-5.29%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.78 $5.78

-2.60%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$2.74 $2.74

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.26 $2.26

7.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.88 $6.88

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 $7.57

$9.24 $9.24

-18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.26 $1.26

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$10.08 $10.08

$3.55 $3.55

183.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$5.38 $5.38

-20.45%

Eggs

$7.07 $7.07

$4.55 $4.55

55.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.98 $19.98

$13.65 $13.65

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.57 $17.57

$14.07 $14.07

24.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.15 $30.15

$18.06 $18.06

66.94%

Apples (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$5.16 $5.16

66.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.98 $1.98

20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.48 $10.48

$3.88 $3.88

170.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$12.21 $12.21

$4.83 $4.83

152.80%

Potato (1kg)

$9.04 $9.04

$2.81 $2.81

221.71%

Onion (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.67 $2.67

192.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.07 $2.07

158.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.03 $3.03

-0.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$13.90 $13.90

-14.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.03 $22.03

$15.05 $15.05

46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.63 $2.63

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.17 $3.17

-6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.70 $1.70

17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.57 $23.57

$24.90 $24.90

-5.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.28 $1.28

10.16%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-28.73%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.87%

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

$302 $302

$192 $192

57.23%

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

$67.7 $67.7

$69.6 $69.6

-2.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 $125

$62.2 $62.2

101.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 $37.04

$47.79 $47.79

-22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.30 $25.30

$27.10 $27.10

-6.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 $13.24

$17.83 $17.83

-25.74%

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

$1,815 $1,815

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$40.6K $40.6K

-70.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.77 $36.77

$66.2 $66.2

-44.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.88 $29.88

$51.4 $51.4

-41.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 $66.8

$103 $103

-35.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 $83.9

$143 $143

-41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 $1,463

$2,531 $2,531

-42.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 $1,142

$1,621 $1,621

-29.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,574 $2,574

$4,828 $4,828

-46.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 $2,199

$2,734 $2,734

-19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,600 $5,600

$4,163 $4,163

34.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,662 $4,662

$2,723 $2,723

71.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,795 $3,795

$4,924 $4,924

-22.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.78

-2.36%

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

Last update for Hilo, HI: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hilo, HI

$1.1K 39.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 41.9% $479

Groceries & Markets

Hilo, HI

$715 * 25%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 38.6% $276

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hilo, HI

$495 17.3%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 34.6% $171

Eating Out

Hilo, HI

$338 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 1.7% $5.8

Clothing & Footwear

Hilo, HI

$98 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 67.3% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Hilo, HI

$64 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 31.3% $20

Getting Around

Hilo, HI

$13 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 646% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,463 in Hilo, HI versus $2,531 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 30% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Hilo, HI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $715 in Hilo, HI vs $439 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:12 11:12 AM

15:12 3:12 PM

4 h ahead of Hilo, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,186

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Hilo, HI Chicago, IL 6,720 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Hilo, HI
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

Hilo, HI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,865 in Hilo, HI, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Hilo, HI comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,297 per month in Hilo, HI and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilo, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,463 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Hilo, HI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,865 in Hilo, HI and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. That makes Hilo, HI about 7% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,865 in Hilo, HI and $3,072 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 $2,865 in Hilo, HI to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Hilo, HI. 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.