Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jefferson City, MO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO: $1,858 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Jefferson City, MO
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Jefferson City, MO Living Index
152

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

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Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,858

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,858 per month in Jefferson City, MO vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jefferson City, MO $1,858
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,890 per month in Jefferson City, MO vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jefferson City, MO $2,890
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,922 per month in Jefferson City, MO vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jefferson City, MO $3,922
Chicago, IL $6,115

Jefferson City, MO is about 41% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jefferson City, MO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Jefferson City, MO by 37%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 $14.97

$20.65 $20.65

-27.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.52 $39.52

$90.2 $90.2

-56.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$12.94 $12.94

-22.87%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.60 $5.60

-1.96%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.64 $2.64

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.27 $2.27

-2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.98 $6.98

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 $6.34

$8.83 $8.83

-28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.27 $1.27

-28.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.80 $3.80

-14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.30 $5.30

-16.23%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$4.76 $4.76

-10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$13.96 $13.96

-68.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 $9.71

$14.61 $14.61

-33.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 $13.38

$18.77 $18.77

-28.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.19 $5.19

-16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.93 $3.93

10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.96 $4.96

-13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.76 $2.76

16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.76 $2.76

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.22 $2.22

9.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.98 $2.98

-34.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.97 $7.97

$14.02 $14.02

-43.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 $12.74

$15.28 $15.28

-16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 $2.58

-24.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.50 $3.50

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.47 $2.47

24.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.34 $3.34

-27.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.43 $1.43

-16.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.8 $60.8

$24.32 $24.32

149.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.26 $1.26

-31.75%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

1.92%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

-2.52%

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

$204 $204

$193 $193

6.10%

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

$65.7 $65.7

$68.3 $68.3

-3.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$61.3 $61.3

13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$17.74 $17.74

-14.77%

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

$1,197 $1,197

$1,652 $1,652

-27.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

-31.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$66.1 $66.1

-23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.76 $42.76

$51.2 $51.2

-16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$100 $100

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$141 $141

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$887 $887

$2,446 $2,446

-63.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 $709

$1,678 $1,678

-57.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 $1,774

$4,717 $4,717

-62.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 $1,564

$2,795 $2,795

-44.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,537 $1,537

$4,105 $4,105

-62.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,743 $1,743

$2,650 $2,650

-34.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 $1,915

$4,866 $4,866

-60.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.81

-3.67%

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

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jefferson City, MO

$709 38.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 137% $969

Groceries & Markets

Jefferson City, MO

$341 18.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 31.9% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jefferson City, MO

$340 18.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5.2% $18

Eating Out

Jefferson City, MO

$272 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 26.2% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Jefferson City, MO

$145 7.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 11.1% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Jefferson City, MO

$30 * 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 196% $59

Getting Around

Jefferson City, MO

$21 * 1.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 358% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $887 in Jefferson City, MO 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 154% 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 $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $449 – making Jefferson City, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:23 8:23 AM

Same time as Jefferson City, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,079

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Jefferson City, MO Chicago, IL 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Jefferson City, MO
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

Jefferson City, MO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 69% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,787 per month in Jefferson City, MO 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 Jefferson City, MO, 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 $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Jefferson City, MO, where all-in costs run around $1,858, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Jefferson City, MO it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. 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 Jefferson City, MO. 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.