Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $4,083 in Kailua, HI, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

198

Cost of Living Index in Kailua, HI
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Kailua, HI Living Index
146

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

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Kailua, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$4,083

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,083 per month in Kailua, HI vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kailua, HI $4,083
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $6,047 per month in Kailua, HI vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kailua, HI $6,047
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $8,011 per month in Kailua, HI vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kailua, HI $8,011
Chicago, IL $6,019

Kailua, HI costs about 33% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kailua, HI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kailua, HI by 202%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.34 $27.34

$20.39 $20.39

34.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 $139

$88.6 $88.6

57.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.30 $11.30

$12.85 $12.85

-12.06%

Cappuccino

$6.15 $6.15

$5.78 $5.78

6.40%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.74 $2.74

6.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.26 $2.26

5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 $9.27

$6.88 $6.88

34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.26 $1.26

74.60%

White Bread (500g)

$7.29 $7.29

$3.55 $3.55

105.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.79 $7.79

$5.38 $5.38

44.80%

Eggs

$8.22 $8.22

$4.55 $4.55

80.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.21 $19.21

$13.65 $13.65

40.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.23 $16.23

$14.07 $14.07

15.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.84 $21.84

$18.06 $18.06

20.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$5.16 $5.16

49.61%

Banana (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.98 $1.98

122.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.11 $7.11

$3.88 $3.88

83.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$4.83 $4.83

100.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.81 $2.81

34.16%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.67 $2.67

79.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.07 $2.07

117.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.03 $3.03

4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.90 $13.90

-6.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.74 $16.74

$15.05 $15.05

11.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.63 $2.63

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.45 $3.45

-40.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.43 $2.43

63.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.5 $90.5

$75.3 $75.3

20.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.17 $3.17

10.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.70 $1.70

55.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.72 $44.72

$24.90 $24.90

79.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$35.8K $35.8K

-2.01%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.61%

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

$248 $248

$192 $192

29.18%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$69.6 $69.6

-27.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$62.2 $62.2

5.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.2 $70.2

$47.79 $47.79

46.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 $40.36

$27.10 $27.10

48.93%

Cinema Ticket

$18.85 $18.85

$17.83 $17.83

5.72%

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

$2,142 $2,142

$1,815 $1,815

18.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$40.6K $40.6K

-32.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.2 $66.2

-6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 $46.91

$51.4 $51.4

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$103 $103

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$143 $143

-8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 $2,798

$2,531 $2,531

10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 $2,290

$1,621 $1,621

41.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,185 $4,185

$4,828 $4,828

-13.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,745 $3,745

$2,734 $2,734

36.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K $12.3K

$4,163 $4,163

195.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,901 $9,901

$2,723 $2,723

263.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 $4,744

$4,924 $4,924

-3.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.78

0.15%

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

Last update for Kailua, HI: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kailua, HI

$2.3K 56.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 29.2% $669

Groceries & Markets

Kailua, HI

$633 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 30.6% $194

Eating Out

Kailua, HI

$413 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 16.6% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kailua, HI

$364 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 11.1% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Kailua, HI

$152 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 7.3% $11

Getting Around

Kailua, HI

$123 3%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 21.5% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Kailua, HI

$108 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 22.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,798 in Kailua, HI versus $2,531 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 4% 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 $139 in Kailua, HI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $633 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kailua, HI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

17:29 5:29 PM

4 h ahead of Kailua, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,975

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Kailua, HI Chicago, IL 6,800 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Kailua, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,083 in Kailua, HI, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,125 per month in Kailua, HI and $4,608 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,531 there versus $2,798 in Kailua, HI.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Kailua, HI, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $139 in Kailua, HI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,083 in Kailua, HI and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Chicago, IL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 25% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.