Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kauai, Hawaii and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Kauai, Hawaii: $2,605 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Kauai, Hawaii
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Kauai, Hawaii Living Index
147

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

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Kauai, Hawaii

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,605 per month in Kauai, Hawaii vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kauai, Hawaii $2,605
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,851 per month in Kauai, Hawaii vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kauai, Hawaii $3,851
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,097 per month in Kauai, Hawaii vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kauai, Hawaii $5,097
Chicago, IL $5,999

Kauai, Hawaii is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kauai, Hawaii and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kauai, Hawaii by 91%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 $19.36

$20.71 $20.71

-6.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$89.2 $89.2

-15.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$13.19 $13.19

-16.76%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$5.66 $5.66

-12.54%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.28 $2.28

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.87 $6.87

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$8.84 $8.84

-21.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 $1.25

-20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.72 $3.72

-6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.39 $5.39

-20.78%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$4.74 $4.74

-13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$13.84 $13.84

-10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$14.40 $14.40

-20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$18.38 $18.38

-15.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.22 $5.22

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.06 $4.06

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.97 $4.97

-7.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.67 $2.67

7.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.66 $2.66

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.24 $2.24

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.13 $3.13

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 $9.47

$13.82 $13.82

-31.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 $13.83

$14.88 $14.88

-7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.54 $2.54

-30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.51 $3.51

-1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.43 $2.43

-15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 $55.5

$73.5 $73.5

-24.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.18 $3.18

11.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 $1.39

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.13 $29.13

$25.03 $25.03

16.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.20 $1.20

-30.00%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.43%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.78%

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

$185 $185

$194 $194

-5.01%

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

$53.9 $53.9

$69.5 $69.5

-22.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$61.6 $61.6

10.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$47.90 $47.90

-9.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 $13.53

$17.81 $17.81

-24.03%

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

$1,282 $1,282

$1,794 $1,794

-28.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-27.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$67.0 $67.0

-25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.37 $39.37

$52.1 $52.1

-24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$102 $102

-16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$144 $144

-21.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$2,526 $2,526

-36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$1,578 $1,578

-15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$4,738 $4,738

-44.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$2,693 $2,693

-15.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,817 $2,817

$4,190 $4,190

-32.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$2,768 $2,768

-10.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kauai, Hawaii

$1.3K 51%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 18.8% $249

Groceries & Markets

Kauai, Hawaii

$385 14.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 16.1% $62

Eating Out

Kauai, Hawaii

$309 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.5% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kauai, Hawaii

$307 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.2% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Kauai, Hawaii

$129 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 27.1% $35

Getting Around

Kauai, Hawaii

$75 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 24.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Kauai, Hawaii

$70 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 18.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Kauai, Hawaii 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $447 – making Kauai, Hawaii the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kauai, Hawaii

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

06:07 6:07 AM

5 h ahead of Kauai, Hawaii

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,610

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Kauai, Hawaii Chicago, IL 6,920 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Kauai, Hawaii
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

Kauai, Hawaii vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,907 per month in Kauai, Hawaii 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 Kauai, Hawaii, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,605 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $76 in Kauai, Hawaii and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kauai, Hawaii costs $2,605 versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

For expats, Kauai, Hawaii is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 17% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.