Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Huntington, WV and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Huntington, WV: $2,175 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Huntington, WV, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Huntington, WV
🇺🇸 United States
$2,175
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,175 per month in Huntington, WV vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Huntington, WV $2,175
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,142 per month in Huntington, WV vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Huntington, WV $3,142
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,109 per month in Huntington, WV vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Huntington, WV $4,109
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Huntington, WV is about 28% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Huntington, WV and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Huntington, WV by 60%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.40 $14.40
$20.71 $20.71
-30.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7 $68.7
$89.2 $89.2
-23.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.05 $10.05
$13.19 $13.19
-23.81%
Cappuccino
$4.04 $4.04
$5.66 $5.66
-28.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.64 $2.64
-19.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 $1.47
$2.28 $2.28
-35.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.33 $5.33
$6.87 $6.87
-22.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 $4.37
$8.84 $8.84
-50.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 $0.75
$1.25 $1.25
-40.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 $2.77
$3.72 $3.72
-25.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.72 $3.72
$5.39 $5.39
-30.98%
Eggs
$3.67 $3.67
$4.74 $4.74
-22.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.86 $6.86
$13.84 $13.84
-50.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.21 $13.21
$14.40 $14.40
-8.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.74 $16.74
$18.38 $18.38
-8.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$5.22 $5.22
-57.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.98 $1.98
-2.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.47 $6.47
$4.06 $4.06
59.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$4.97 $4.97
-12.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.70 $2.70
$2.67 $2.67
1.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.66 $2.66
-16.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.24 $2.24
-1.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$3.13 $3.13
-23.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.89 $9.89
$13.82 $13.82
-28.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.98 $17.98
$14.88 $14.88
20.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.54 $2.54
-32.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 $3.96
$3.51 $3.51
12.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.44 $3.44
$2.43 $2.43
41.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.61 $34.61
$73.5 $73.5
-52.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.18 $3.18
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.39 $1.39
-12.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$25.03 $25.03
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.20 $1.20
-26.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K $24.6K
$35.0K $35.0K
-29.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K $19.6K
$26.7K $26.7K
-26.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$417 $417
$194 $194
114.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.0 $52.0
$69.5 $69.5
-25.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.1 $59.1
$61.6 $61.6
-4.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.03 $49.03
$47.90 $47.90
2.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.07 $10.07
$17.81 $17.81
-43.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$541 $541
$1,794 $1,794
-69.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,558 $6,558
$31.9K $31.9K
-79.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.39 $40.39
$67.0 $67.0
-39.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.87 $25.87
$52.1 $52.1
-50.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.8 $70.8
$102 $102
-30.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 $121
$144 $144
-15.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,034 $1,034
$2,526 $2,526
-59.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$789 $789
$1,578 $1,578
-50.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,666 $1,666
$4,738 $4,738
-64.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,336 $1,336
$2,693 $2,693
-50.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,315 $1,315
$4,190 $4,190
-68.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,298 $1,298
$2,768 $2,768
-53.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,699 $3,699
$4,931 $4,931
-24.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.36
6.81
-6.61%

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

Last update for Huntington, WV: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Huntington, WV
$789
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 100% $789
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Huntington, WV
$528
Chicago, IL
$326 38.4% $203
Groceries & Markets
Huntington, WV
$374
Chicago, IL
$447 19.5% $73
Eating Out
Huntington, WV
$244
Chicago, IL
$345 41.6% $101
Clothing & Footwear
Huntington, WV
$116
Chicago, IL
$164 41.3% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Huntington, WV
$69
Chicago, IL
$84 20.7% $14
Getting Around
Huntington, WV
$54 *
Chicago, IL
$93 71.5% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,034 in Huntington, WV 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 33% 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 $69 in Huntington, WV versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $447 – making Huntington, WV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Huntington, WV
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
03:12 3:12 AM
02:12 2:12 AM
1 h behind Huntington, WV
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,138
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.897 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Huntington, WV Chicago, IL 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Huntington, WV
  • 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
Huntington, WV vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Huntington, WV and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,175 in Huntington, WV, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Huntington, WV comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Huntington, WV compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,262 per month in Huntington, WV and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Huntington, WV and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Huntington, WV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,034 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 20% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Huntington, WV and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Huntington, WV, where all-in costs run around $2,175, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Huntington, WV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Huntington, WV or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Huntington, WV – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Huntington, WV and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Huntington, WV. 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.

Huntington, WV vs other spots: cost of living compared

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