Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,194 in Lihue, HI, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lihue, HI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Lihue, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,194

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,194 per month in Lihue, HI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lihue, HI $3,194
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,556 per month in Lihue, HI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lihue, HI $5,556
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $7,919 per month in Lihue, HI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lihue, HI $7,919
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lihue, HI costs about 5% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lihue, HI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lihue, HI by 135%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 $25.32

$20.71 $20.71

22.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$89.2 $89.2

23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$13.19 $13.19

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$6.55 $6.55

$5.66 $5.66

15.72%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.64 $2.64

44.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.28 $2.28

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.87 $6.87

0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$8.84 $8.84

-10.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.25 $1.25

50.40%

White Bread (500g)

$6.56 $6.56

$3.72 $3.72

76.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.39 $5.39

-47.87%

Eggs

$10.19 $10.19

$4.74 $4.74

114.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.42 $15.42

$13.84 $13.84

11.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$14.40 $14.40

5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.13 $20.13

$18.38 $18.38

9.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$5.22 $5.22

-8.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.98 $1.98

68.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$4.06 $4.06

111.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$4.97 $4.97

103.82%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.67 $2.67

89.14%

Onion (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$2.66 $2.66

137.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$13.82 $13.82

-11.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 $15.81

$14.88 $14.88

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.51 $3.51

-51.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 $52.9

$73.5 $73.5

-28.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 $7.88

$3.18 $3.18

147.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.39 $1.39

36.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.25 $15.25

$25.03 $25.03

-39.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.20 $1.20

8.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

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

$26.7K $26.7K

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

$194 $194

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

$30.21 $30.21

$69.5 $69.5

-56.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$61.6 $61.6

-1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.9 $91.9

$47.90 $47.90

91.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 $9.01

$17.81 $17.81

-49.41%

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

$1,200 $1,200

$1,794 $1,794

-33.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-49.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,526 $2,526

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 $2,000

$1,578 $1,578

26.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,245 $5,245

$4,738 $4,738

10.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,812 $4,812

$2,693 $2,693

78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,987 $1,987

$4,931 $4,931

-59.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.81

-1.76%

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

Last update for Lihue, HI: 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

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Groceries & Markets

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Eating Out

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Getting Around

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Lihue, HI

–

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,353 in Lihue, HI 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 in Chicago, IL are about 2.5 times higher, 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 $111 in Lihue, HI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $519 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lihue, HI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

4 h ahead of Lihue, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lihue, HI Chicago, IL 6,920 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Lihue, HI
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

Lihue, HI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,194 in Lihue, HI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,790 per month in Lihue, HI and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,353 in Lihue, HI and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in Lihue, HI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,194 in Lihue, HI 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,194 in Lihue, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.