Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jonesboro, AR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Jonesboro, AR: $2,110 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Jonesboro, AR
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Jonesboro, AR Living Index
153

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

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Jonesboro, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,110

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,110 per month in Jonesboro, AR vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jonesboro, AR $2,110
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $2,960 per month in Jonesboro, AR vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jonesboro, AR $2,960
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $3,809 per month in Jonesboro, AR vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Jonesboro, AR $3,809
Chicago, IL $6,077

Jonesboro, AR is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jonesboro, AR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Jonesboro, AR by 56%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.13 $27.13

$21.58 $21.58

25.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$88.7 $88.7

-31.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 $10.45

$13.20 $13.20

-20.83%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.59 $5.59

-11.81%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$2.63 $2.63

-15.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.26 $2.26

-20.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 $4.38

$7.11 $7.11

-38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 $6.65

$9.23 $9.23

-27.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.28 $1.28

-11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.84 $3.84

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$5.07 $5.07

-57.79%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$4.84 $4.84

-25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 $8.87

$14.17 $14.17

-37.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.76 $8.76

$14.61 $14.61

-40.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$18.76 $18.76

-38.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$5.19 $5.19

-17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.00 $2.00

-46.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.00 $4.00

-26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.98 $4.98

-22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.79 $2.79

-38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.65 $2.65

-7.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.13 $2.13

-17.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.09 $3.09

-35.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$16.05 $16.05

-49.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 $13.55

$15.20 $15.20

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.62 $2.62

-32.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.46 $3.46

7.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.47 $2.47

-54.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.75 $29.75

$75.1 $75.1

-60.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.21 $3.21

-5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.39 $1.39

4.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.47 $28.47

$25.02 $25.02

13.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.24 $1.24

-32.26%

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

$32.1K $32.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-13.70%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.00%

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

$221 $221

$192 $192

14.71%

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

$45.73 $45.73

$67.8 $67.8

-32.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$60.9 $60.9

17.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.18 $40.18

$53.6 $53.6

-25.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.90 $10.90

$27.90 $27.90

-60.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$17.80 $17.80

-31.57%

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

$763 $763

$1,554 $1,554

-50.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,367 $8,367

$31.4K $31.4K

-73.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 $63.4

$67.9 $67.9

-6.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 $36.22

$50.8 $50.8

-28.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$101 $101

-22.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$143 $143

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 $1,134

$2,383 $2,383

-52.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 $860

$1,712 $1,712

-49.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,436 $1,436

$4,674 $4,674

-69.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 $1,140

$2,738 $2,738

-58.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 $1,567

$4,158 $4,158

-62.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,557 $1,557

$2,691 $2,691

-42.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,356 $3,356

$4,894 $4,894

-31.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.77

-6.06%

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

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jonesboro, AR

$860 40.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 99.2% $852

Eating Out

Jonesboro, AR

$359 17%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 1.6% $5.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jonesboro, AR

$338 16%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 5% $17

Groceries & Markets

Jonesboro, AR

$316 15%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 42.6% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Jonesboro, AR

$129 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 27.2% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Jonesboro, AR

$65 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 38.2% $25

Getting Around

Jonesboro, AR

$45 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 113% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Jonesboro, AR versus $2,383 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 46% 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 $61.0 in Jonesboro, AR versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $451 – making Jonesboro, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Jonesboro, AR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

Same time as Jonesboro, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

78,576

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Jonesboro, AR Chicago, IL 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Jonesboro, AR
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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

Jonesboro, AR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 51% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,165 per month in Jonesboro, AR and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jonesboro, AR, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $61.0 in Jonesboro, AR and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Jonesboro, AR, where all-in costs run around $2,110, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Jonesboro, AR 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 $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Jonesboro, AR. 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.