Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kenansville, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Kenansville, NC: $2,418 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kenansville, NC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,418
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,418 per month in Kenansville, NC vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Kenansville, NC $2,418
  • Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,595 per month in Kenansville, NC vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Kenansville, NC $3,595
  • Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Kenansville, NC vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Kenansville, NC $4,772
  • Chicago, IL $6,077

Kenansville, NC is about 24% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kenansville, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kenansville, NC by 79%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.92 $17.92
$21.58 $21.58
-16.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.2 $91.2
$88.7 $88.7
2.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.81 $11.81
$13.20 $13.20
-10.53%
Cappuccino
$5.85 $5.85
$5.59 $5.59
4.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.63 $2.63
6.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.26 $2.26
-6.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.84 $5.84
$7.11 $7.11
-17.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.14 $7.14
$9.23 $9.23
-22.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.28 $1.28
-22.66%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.84 $3.84
-19.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.26 $5.26
$5.07 $5.07
3.75%
Eggs
$2.90 $2.90
$4.84 $4.84
-40.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.27 $10.27
$14.17 $14.17
-27.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.32 $6.32
$14.61 $14.61
-56.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.58 $12.58
$18.76 $18.76
-32.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 $2.62
$5.19 $5.19
-49.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 $1.34
$2.00 $2.00
-33.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.46 $4.46
$4.00 $4.00
11.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$4.98 $4.98
-15.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.33 $2.33
$2.79 $2.79
-16.49%
Onion (1kg)
$3.81 $3.81
$2.65 $2.65
43.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 $1.87
$2.13 $2.13
-12.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 $2.29
$3.09 $3.09
-25.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.16 $6.16
$16.05 $16.05
-61.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.17 $8.17
$15.20 $15.20
-46.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$2.62 $2.62
-29.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$3.46 $3.46
-36.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.47 $2.47
-10.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.1 $75.1
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.71 $4.71
$3.21 $3.21
46.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 $1.33
$1.39 $1.39
-4.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.08 $20.08
$25.02 $25.02
-19.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.24 $1.24
-20.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$37.2K $37.2K
-3.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K $25.2K
$25.8K $25.8K
-2.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 $197
$192 $192
2.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.73 $39.73
$67.8 $67.8
-41.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.2 $65.2
$60.9 $60.9
7.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.23 $41.23
$53.6 $53.6
-23.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.90 $27.90
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.84 $11.84
$17.80 $17.80
-33.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$794 $794
$1,554 $1,554
-48.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K $15.9K
$31.4K $31.4K
-49.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.60 $44.60
$67.9 $67.9
-34.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.99 $47.99
$50.8 $50.8
-5.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.5 $80.5
$101 $101
-20.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$143 $143
-19.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,593 $1,593
$2,383 $2,383
-33.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 $1,276
$1,712 $1,712
-25.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,501 $2,501
$4,674 $4,674
-46.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,172 $2,172
$2,738 $2,738
-20.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,589 $2,589
$4,158 $4,158
-37.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,342 $2,342
$2,691 $2,691
-12.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kenansville, NC
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,894 $4,894
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
6.77
-2.95%

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

Last update for Kenansville, NC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kenansville, NC
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.7K 34.1% $436
Groceries & Markets
Kenansville, NC
$313
Chicago, IL
$451 44.2% $138
Eating Out
Kenansville, NC
$312
Chicago, IL
$353 13.1% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenansville, NC
$302
Chicago, IL
$321 6.5% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Kenansville, NC
$130
Chicago, IL
$164 26.2% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Kenansville, NC
$65
Chicago, IL
$89 37.4% $24
Getting Around
Kenansville, NC
$20 *
Chicago, IL
$95 370% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,593 in Kenansville, NC versus $2,383 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 $91.0 in Kenansville, NC versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Kenansville, NC vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Kenansville, NC wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Kenansville, NC
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
07:34 7:34 AM
06:34 6:34 AM
1 h behind Kenansville, NC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
800
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kenansville, NC Chicago, IL 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kenansville, NC
  • 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
Kenansville, NC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kenansville, NC and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,418 in Kenansville, NC, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Kenansville, NC compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,626 per month in Kenansville, NC and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kenansville, NC and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kenansville, NC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Kenansville, NC and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 44% 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.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,418 in Kenansville, NC and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Kenansville, NC and Chicago, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,418 in Kenansville, NC to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Kenansville, NC and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Kenansville, NC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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