Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,954 in Kahului, HI, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

176

Cost of Living Index in Kahului, HI
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Kahului, HI Living Index
152

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

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Kahului, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,954

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,954 per month in Kahului, HI vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kahului, HI $3,954
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,700 per month in Kahului, HI vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kahului, HI $5,700
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $7,446 per month in Kahului, HI vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kahului, HI $7,446
Chicago, IL $6,115

Kahului, HI costs about 26% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kahului, HI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kahului, HI by 192%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$47.08 $47.08

$20.65 $20.65

127.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$90.2 $90.2

-17.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.49 $18.49

$12.94 $12.94

42.89%

Cappuccino

$7.05 $7.05

$5.60 $5.60

25.89%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$2.64 $2.64

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.27 $2.27

57.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$6.98 $6.98

-27.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 $7.57

$8.83 $8.83

-14.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.27 $1.27

14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.80 $3.80

81.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$5.30 $5.30

71.13%

Eggs

$6.60 $6.60

$4.76 $4.76

38.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$13.96 $13.96

-35.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.18 $15.18

$14.61 $14.61

3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$18.77 $18.77

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$5.19 $5.19

145.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.98 $1.98

37.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

Tomato (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$4.96 $4.96

181.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.50 $3.50

69.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.47 $2.47

-17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.95 $44.95

$74.8 $74.8

-39.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.41 $35.41

$24.32 $24.32

45.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.26 $1.26

2.38%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

16.03%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.89%

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

$289 $289

$193 $193

49.87%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$68.3 $68.3

3.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 $51.5

$61.3 $61.3

-16.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

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

$1,652 $1,652

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$66.1 $66.1

-15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 $39.51

$51.2 $51.2

-22.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 $96.6

$100 $100

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$141 $141

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,317 $2,317

$2,446 $2,446

-5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$1,678 $1,678

36.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,012 $4,012

$4,717 $4,717

-14.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,811 $3,811

$2,795 $2,795

36.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K $11.1K

$4,105 $4,105

169.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K $11.3K

$2,650 $2,650

326.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,757 $4,757

$4,866 $4,866

-2.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Kahului, HI: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kahului, HI

$2.3K 58%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 26.9% $617

Eating Out

Kahului, HI

$583 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 41.1% $239

Groceries & Markets

Kahului, HI

$470 * 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.5% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kahului, HI

$411 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 21.5% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Kahului, HI

$142 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 13.6% $19

Getting Around

Kahului, HI

$53 * 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 79.3% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Kahului, HI

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,317 in Kahului, HI 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 2% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Kahului, HI versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $470 in Kahului, HI vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kahului, HI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:38 1:38 AM

06:38 6:38 AM

5 h ahead of Kahului, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,337

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kahului, HI Chicago, IL 6,750 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Kahului, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,954 in Kahului, HI, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,931 per month in Kahului, HI 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Kahului, HI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,954 in Kahului, HI and $3,139 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,954 in Kahului, HI. 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kahului, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.