Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Cruces, NM and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Cruces, NM: $2,067 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Las Cruces, NM
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Las Cruces, NM Living Index
152

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

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Las Cruces, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,067

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,067 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM $2,067
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM $3,132
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,196 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM $4,196
Chicago, IL $6,115

Las Cruces, NM is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Las Cruces, NM and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Las Cruces, NM by 53%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 $17.34

$20.65 $20.65

-16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.20 $45.20

$90.2 $90.2

-49.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$12.94 $12.94

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.60 $5.60

3.21%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$2.64 $2.64

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.27 $2.27

-4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 $6.31

$6.98 $6.98

-9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$8.83 $8.83

3.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.27 $1.27

-39.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.80 $3.80

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$5.30 $5.30

-29.06%

Eggs

$4.72 $4.72

$4.76 $4.76

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$13.96 $13.96

-2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 $12.04

$14.61 $14.61

-17.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$18.77 $18.77

-6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.19 $5.19

-15.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.98 $1.98

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.93 $3.93

-13.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.96 $4.96

-21.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.76 $2.76

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.76 $2.76

-14.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.22 $2.22

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.98 $2.98

-38.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 $11.02

$14.02 $14.02

-21.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$15.28 $15.28

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.58 $2.58

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.50 $3.50

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.47 $2.47

-59.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.50 $38.50

$74.8 $74.8

-48.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.34 $3.34

-29.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.43 $1.43

62.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.26 $1.26

-22.22%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.64%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-8.49%

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

$176 $176

$193 $193

-8.65%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$68.3 $68.3

-16.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$61.3 $61.3

42.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$54.1 $54.1

-7.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 $10.89

$27.92 $27.92

-61.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 $10.09

$17.74 $17.74

-43.12%

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

$683 $683

$1,652 $1,652

-58.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 $58.2

$66.1 $66.1

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.55 $31.55

$51.2 $51.2

-38.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 $84.7

$100 $100

-15.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$141 $141

-27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 $966

$2,446 $2,446

-60.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 $794

$1,678 $1,678

-52.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$4,717 $4,717

-63.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 $1,532

$2,795 $2,795

-45.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,121 $2,121

$4,105 $4,105

-48.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,971 $1,971

$2,650 $2,650

-25.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,589 $3,589

$4,866 $4,866

-26.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.81

-6.61%

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

Last update for Las Cruces, NM: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Las Cruces, NM

$794 38.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 111% $884

Groceries & Markets

Las Cruces, NM

$389 18.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 15.6% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Las Cruces, NM

$320 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 0.6% $1.8

Eating Out

Las Cruces, NM

$313 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9.8% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Las Cruces, NM

$124 6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29.6% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Las Cruces, NM

$70 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 27.4% $19

Getting Around

Las Cruces, NM

$56 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 68.6% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $966 in Las Cruces, NM versus $2,446 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 36% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Las Cruces, NM versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $449 – making Las Cruces, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Las Cruces, NM

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:31 1:31 AM

02:31 2:31 AM

1 h ahead of Las Cruces, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,385

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Las Cruces, NM Chicago, IL 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Las Cruces, NM
Chicago, IL

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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

Las Cruces, NM vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 52% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,101 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Las Cruces, NM, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

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 $45.00 in Las Cruces, NM and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Cruces, NM, where all-in costs run around $2,067, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Las Cruces, NM it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Las Cruces, NM. 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.