Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalispell, MT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalispell, MT: $2,815 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

134

Cost of Living Index in Kalispell, MT
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Kalispell, MT Living Index
147

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

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Kalispell, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,815

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,815 per month in Kalispell, MT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kalispell, MT $2,815
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,399 per month in Kalispell, MT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kalispell, MT $4,399
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,982 per month in Kalispell, MT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kalispell, MT $5,982
Chicago, IL $5,999

Kalispell, MT is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Kalispell, MT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kalispell, MT by 107%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.83 $29.83

$20.71 $20.71

44.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$89.2 $89.2

-9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$13.19 $13.19

0.38%

Cappuccino

$6.83 $6.83

$5.66 $5.66

20.67%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.64 $2.64

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.28 $2.28

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.87 $6.87

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 $5.76

$8.84 $8.84

-34.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.25 $1.25

-8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.72 $3.72

32.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$5.39 $5.39

6.31%

Eggs

$5.42 $5.42

$4.74 $4.74

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.49 $15.49

$13.84 $13.84

11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.88 $10.88

$14.40 $14.40

-24.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 $14.81

$18.38 $18.38

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$5.22 $5.22

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.98 $1.98

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$4.06 $4.06

4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.34 $6.34

$4.97 $4.97

27.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.67 $2.67

22.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.66 $2.66

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.24 $2.24

-30.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.13 $3.13

10.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.89 $12.89

$13.82 $13.82

-6.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$14.88 $14.88

2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.54 $2.54

38.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.51 $3.51

1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.13 $25.13

$25.03 $25.03

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 $1.20

-18.33%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.92%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

7.01%

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

$311 $311

$194 $194

59.92%

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

$68.8 $68.8

$69.5 $69.5

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.8 $82.8

$61.6 $61.6

34.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 $95.4

$47.90 $47.90

99.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.15 $15.15

$27.34 $27.34

-44.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$17.81 $17.81

-14.99%

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

$1,147 $1,147

$1,794 $1,794

-36.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 $64.7

$67.0 $67.0

-3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 $57.8

$52.1 $52.1

10.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 $96.5

$144 $144

-32.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$2,526 $2,526

-45.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 $1,195

$1,578 $1,578

-24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 $2,436

$4,738 $4,738

-48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,542 $2,542

$2,693 $2,693

-5.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,667 $4,667

$4,190 $4,190

11.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,558 $4,558

$2,768 $2,768

64.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,253 $3,253

$4,931 $4,931

-34.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

6.81

0.88%

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

Last update for Kalispell, MT: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kalispell, MT

$1.2K 42.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 32.1% $383

Groceries & Markets

Kalispell, MT

$464 16.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.5% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kalispell, MT

$463 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 29.6% $137

Eating Out

Kalispell, MT

$424 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 18.7% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Kalispell, MT

$144 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 13.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Kalispell, MT

$126 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 33.5% $42

Getting Around

Kalispell, MT

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Kalispell, MT 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 52% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Kalispell, MT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $464 in Kalispell, MT vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kalispell, MT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:19 11:19 PM

00:19 12:19 AM

1 h ahead of Kalispell, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,052

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kalispell, MT Chicago, IL 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Kalispell, MT
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

Kalispell, MT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,815 in Kalispell, MT, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Kalispell, MT comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,223 per month in Kalispell, MT 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 Kalispell, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,378 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Kalispell, MT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,815 in Kalispell, MT 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 Kalispell, MT – 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 Kalispell, MT. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.