Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kearney, NE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Kearney, NE: $2,077 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Kearney, NE
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Kearney, NE Living Index
147

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

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Kearney, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,077

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,077 per month in Kearney, NE vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kearney, NE $2,077
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,910 per month in Kearney, NE vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kearney, NE $2,910
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,744 per month in Kearney, NE vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kearney, NE $3,744
Chicago, IL $5,999

Kearney, NE is about 32% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kearney, NE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kearney, NE by 53%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.11 $15.11

$20.71 $20.71

-27.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$89.2 $89.2

-33.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 $11.66

$13.19 $13.19

-11.60%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$5.66 $5.66

-8.30%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$2.64 $2.64

-16.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.28 $2.28

-18.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 $4.08

$6.87 $6.87

-40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 $5.08

$8.84 $8.84

-42.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.25 $1.25

-34.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$3.72 $3.72

-56.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$5.39 $5.39

-32.47%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$4.74 $4.74

-24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 $9.04

$13.84 $13.84

-34.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$14.40 $14.40

-55.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$18.38 $18.38

-16.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$5.22 $5.22

7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.98 $1.98

4.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$4.06 $4.06

21.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.97 $4.97

-15.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.67 $2.67

-32.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.66 $2.66

10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.24 $2.24

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.13 $3.13

-6.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.14 $9.14

$13.82 $13.82

-33.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$14.88 $14.88

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.54 $2.54

-29.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.51 $3.51

-43.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.18 $3.18

-7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.39 $1.39

-4.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.92 $24.92

$25.03 $25.03

-0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.20 $1.20

-16.67%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-30.43%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.97%

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

$277 $277

$194 $194

42.66%

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

$64.4 $64.4

$69.5 $69.5

-7.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$61.6 $61.6

19.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 $54.7

$47.90 $47.90

14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 $5.86

$27.34 $27.34

-78.57%

Cinema Ticket

$12.48 $12.48

$17.81 $17.81

-29.93%

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

$1,033 $1,033

$1,794 $1,794

-42.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-39.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.51 $30.51

$67.0 $67.0

-54.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 $40.13

$52.1 $52.1

-23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 $94.5

$102 $102

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$2,526 $2,526

-58.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 $843

$1,578 $1,578

-46.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 $1,487

$4,738 $4,738

-68.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 $1,196

$2,693 $2,693

-55.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 $1,631

$4,190 $4,190

-61.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 $1,621

$2,768 $2,768

-41.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,624 $7,624

$4,931 $4,931

54.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Kearney, NE: 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

Kearney, NE

$843 40.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 87.3% $735

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kearney, NE

$415 20%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 21.6% $90

Groceries & Markets

Kearney, NE

$337 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 32.9% $111

Eating Out

Kearney, NE

$265 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 30.2% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Kearney, NE

$129 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 27.6% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Kearney, NE

$80 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 4.8% $3.8

Getting Around

Kearney, NE

$9.6 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 873% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in Kearney, NE 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 55% higher in Kearney, NE, 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 $60 in Kearney, NE versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $447 – making Kearney, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kearney, NE

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:03 3:03 AM

Same time as Kearney, NE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,385

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kearney, NE Chicago, IL 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Kearney, NE
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

Kearney, NE vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,077 in Kearney, NE, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Kearney, NE comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,116 per month in Kearney, NE 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 Kearney, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,038 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Kearney, NE and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kearney, NE, where all-in costs run around $2,077, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Kearney, NE it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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