Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jamestown, ND and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown, ND: $2,578 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Jamestown, ND
Learn more

Jamestown, ND Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Jamestown, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,578

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,578 per month in Jamestown, ND vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jamestown, ND $2,578
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,748 per month in Jamestown, ND vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jamestown, ND $3,748
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,919 per month in Jamestown, ND vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jamestown, ND $4,919
Chicago, IL $5,999

Jamestown, ND is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jamestown, ND and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Jamestown, ND by 89%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.07 $22.07

$20.71 $20.71

6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 $67.2

$89.2 $89.2

-24.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.19 $13.19

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$5.66 $5.66

-7.24%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$2.64 $2.64

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.28 $2.28

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.87 $6.87

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 $7.35

$8.84 $8.84

-16.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.25 $1.25

-35.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.72 $3.72

-6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.39 $5.39

-20.78%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$4.74 $4.74

-14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$13.84 $13.84

-17.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 $10.24

$14.40 $14.40

-28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$18.38 $18.38

-8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.22 $5.22

-6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.06 $4.06

17.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.97 $4.97

1.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.67 $2.67

2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.66 $2.66

22.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.24 $2.24

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.13 $3.13

-38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 $9.06

$13.82 $13.82

-34.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 $12.91

$14.88 $14.88

-13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.54 $2.54

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.51 $3.51

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.43 $2.43

-11.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 $61.9

$73.5 $73.5

-15.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.18 $3.18

-3.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.39 $1.39

17.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.20 $26.20

$25.03 $25.03

4.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.20 $1.20

-20.83%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-25.87%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

12.32%

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

$201 $201

$194 $194

3.31%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$69.5 $69.5

-16.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.6 $61.6

11.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.40 $36.40

$47.90 $47.90

-24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 $13.11

$17.81 $17.81

-26.39%

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

$1,516 $1,516

$1,794 $1,794

-15.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

-18.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$67.0 $67.0

-22.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 $42.82

$52.1 $52.1

-17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$102 $102

-11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$144 $144

-29.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 $1,533

$2,526 $2,526

-39.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 $1,263

$1,578 $1,578

-19.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 $2,517

$4,738 $4,738

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 $2,062

$2,693 $2,693

-23.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,240 $3,240

$4,190 $4,190

-22.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,060 $2,060

$2,768 $2,768

-25.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,079 $3,079

$4,931 $4,931

-37.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Jamestown, ND: 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

Jamestown, ND

$1.3K 49%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 24.9% $315

Groceries & Markets

Jamestown, ND

$379 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 18% $68

Eating Out

Jamestown, ND

$335 13%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 2.9% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jamestown, ND

$328 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.6% $2

Clothing & Footwear

Jamestown, ND

$129 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 27.2% $35

Getting Around

Jamestown, ND

$82 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 14.3% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Jamestown, ND

$63 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 33.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,533 in Jamestown, ND 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 60% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67 in Jamestown, ND versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $447 – making Jamestown, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Jamestown, ND

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

Same time as Jamestown, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jamestown, ND Chicago, IL 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Jamestown, ND
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

Jamestown, ND vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,578 in Jamestown, ND, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,867 per month in Jamestown, ND 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 Jamestown, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,533 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $67 in Jamestown, ND and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,578 in Jamestown, ND 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 Jamestown, ND – 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 Jamestown, ND. 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.