Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lexington, KY: $2,266 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Lexington, KY
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Lexington, KY Living Index
147

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

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Lexington, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,266

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,266 per month in Lexington, KY vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lexington, KY $2,266
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,326 per month in Lexington, KY vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lexington, KY $3,326
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,386 per month in Lexington, KY vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lexington, KY $4,386
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lexington, KY is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lexington, KY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lexington, KY by 66%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.76 $12.76

$20.71 $20.71

-38.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 $57.3

$89.2 $89.2

-35.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 $8.94

$13.19 $13.19

-32.22%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$5.66 $5.66

-13.07%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$2.64 $2.64

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.28 $2.28

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$6.87 $6.87

-25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$8.84 $8.84

-30.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.25 $1.25

-41.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.72 $3.72

-23.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$5.39 $5.39

-27.83%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$4.74 $4.74

-25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 $10.17

$13.84 $13.84

-26.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$14.40 $14.40

-28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$18.38 $18.38

-22.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.22 $5.22

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.98 $1.98

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.06 $4.06

36.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.97 $4.97

-10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.67 $2.67

52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.66 $2.66

20.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.24 $2.24

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.13 $3.13

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 $8.81

$13.82 $13.82

-36.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 $13.18

$14.88 $14.88

-11.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.54 $2.54

6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.51 $3.51

18.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.43 $2.43

-57.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.42 $29.42

$73.5 $73.5

-59.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.18 $3.18

60.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.13%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.38%

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

$192 $192

$194 $194

-1.12%

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

$108 $108

$69.5 $69.5

54.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.1 $75.1

$61.6 $61.6

21.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.36 $27.36

$47.90 $47.90

-42.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.72 $29.72

$27.34 $27.34

8.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$17.81 $17.81

-16.11%

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

$2,240 $2,240

$1,794 $1,794

24.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-21.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$67.0 $67.0

-24.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.75 $31.75

$52.1 $52.1

-39.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$102 $102

13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$144 $144

6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 $1,710

$2,526 $2,526

-32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 $1,008

$1,578 $1,578

-36.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$4,738 $4,738

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$2,693 $2,693

-37.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 $2,294

$4,190 $4,190

-45.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,961 $1,961

$2,768 $2,768

-29.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,152 $4,152

$4,931 $4,931

-15.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.81

0.15%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lexington, KY

$1K 44.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 56.6% $570

Groceries & Markets

Lexington, KY

$385 17%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 16.2% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lexington, KY

$375 16.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 13.2% $49

Eating Out

Lexington, KY

$245 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 41% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Lexington, KY

$158 7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 4% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Lexington, KY

$57 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 45.9% $26

Getting Around

Lexington, KY

$39 * 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 142% $55

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,710 in Lexington, KY 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 19% 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 $57 in Lexington, KY versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $447 – making Lexington, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lexington, KY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

07:15 7:15 AM

1 h behind Lexington, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

322,570

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Lexington, KY Chicago, IL 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Lexington, KY
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

Lexington, KY vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,266 in Lexington, KY, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Lexington, KY comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,398 per month in Lexington, KY 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 Lexington, KY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,710 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Lexington, KY 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 $2,266 in Lexington, KY and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,266 in Lexington, KY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lexington, KY. 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.