Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Des Plaines, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lexington, KY: $2,266 a month against $3,020 in Des Plaines, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 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
145

Cost of Living Index in Des Plaines, IL
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Des Plaines, IL Living Index

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Lexington, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,266

/mo nomad

Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,020

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,266 in Lexington, KY versus $3,020 in Des Plaines, IL.

Lexington, KY $2,266
Des Plaines, IL $3,020

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,326 in Lexington, KY versus $4,447 in Des Plaines, IL.

Lexington, KY $3,326
Des Plaines, IL $4,447

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,386 in Lexington, KY versus $5,874 in Des Plaines, IL.

Lexington, KY $4,386
Des Plaines, IL $5,874

Living in Lexington, KY costs roughly 25% less than in Des Plaines, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lexington, KY 66% above, Des Plaines, IL 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.76 $12.76

$20.52 $20.52

-37.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 $57.3

$91.6 $91.6

-37.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 $8.94

$13.23 $13.23

-32.43%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$5.69 $5.69

-13.53%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$2.68 $2.68

-5.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.27 $2.27

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$6.85 $6.85

-24.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$8.19 $8.19

-24.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.99 $0.99

-26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.59 $3.59

-20.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.36 $4.36

-10.78%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$4.17 $4.17

-15.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 $10.17

$14.87 $14.87

-31.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$13.45 $13.45

-23.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$17.98 $17.98

-21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.59 $4.59

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.57 $1.57

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.03 $4.03

37.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.83 $4.83

-7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.67 $2.67

52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.72 $2.72

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.16 $2.16

-2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.44 $2.44

30.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 $8.81

$10.74 $10.74

-17.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 $13.18

$14.81 $14.81

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.65 $2.65

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.34 $3.34

24.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.03 $2.03

-49.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.42 $29.42

$59.3 $59.3

-50.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.19 $3.19

59.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.67 $24.67

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.03 $1.03

-9.71%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$30.3K $30.3K

-9.82%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.78%

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

$192 $192

$194 $194

-1.14%

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

$108 $108

$60.9 $60.9

76.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.1 $75.1

$79.0 $79.0

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.36 $27.36

$124 $124

-77.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.72 $29.72

$40.18 $40.18

-26.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$14.87 $14.87

0.47%

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

$2,240 $2,240

$1,664 $1,664

34.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.5K $23.5K

7.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$64.7 $64.7

-21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.75 $31.75

$50.1 $50.1

-36.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$102 $102

13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$121 $121

26.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 $1,710

$2,142 $2,142

-20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 $1,008

$1,541 $1,541

-34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$3,946 $3,946

-32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$2,531 $2,531

-33.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 $2,294

$3,261 $3,261

-29.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,961 $1,961

$2,479 $2,479

-20.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,152 $4,152

$6,110 $6,110

-32.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.79

0.44%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: October 24, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lexington, KY

$1K 44.5%

Des Plaines, IL

$1.5K 51% 52.9% $533

Groceries & Markets

Lexington, KY

$385 17%

Des Plaines, IL

$419 13.9% 8.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lexington, KY

$375 16.6%

Des Plaines, IL

$334 11.1% 10.8% $41

Eating Out

Lexington, KY

$245 10.8%

Des Plaines, IL

$343 11.3% 40.1% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Lexington, KY

$158 7%

Des Plaines, IL

$152 5% 3.7% $5.9

Sport & Entertainment

Lexington, KY

$57 2.5%

Des Plaines, IL

$153 5.1% 168% $96

Getting Around

Lexington, KY

$39 * 1.7%

Des Plaines, IL

$77 2.6% 101% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,710 in Lexington, KY and $2,142 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 47% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $57 in Lexington, KY vs $92 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $419 per month, with Lexington, KY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lexington, KY

🇺🇸 Des Plaines, IL

🕒 Local time

22:14 10:14 PM

21:14 9:14 PM

1 h behind Lexington, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

322,570

60,675

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Lexington, KY Des Plaines, IL 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Lexington, KY
Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,266 in Lexington, KY and $3,020 in Des Plaines, IL, so Lexington, KY is about 25% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Lexington, KY. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,710 in Lexington, KY versus $2,142 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lexington, KY – a meal for two runs $57 versus $92 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lexington, KY is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lexington, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.