Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lincoln, NE: $2,208 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Lincoln, NE
Learn more

Lincoln, NE Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,208

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,208 per month in Lincoln, NE vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lincoln, NE $2,208
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,239 per month in Lincoln, NE vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lincoln, NE $3,239
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,270 per month in Lincoln, NE vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lincoln, NE $4,270
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lincoln, NE is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lincoln, NE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lincoln, NE by 62%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$20.71 $20.71

-2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$89.2 $89.2

-11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$13.19 $13.19

-7.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.64 $2.64

-11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.28 $2.28

-23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.87 $6.87

-25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.84 $8.84

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.25 $1.25

-28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.72 $3.72

-13.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$5.39 $5.39

17.25%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.74 $4.74

-5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$13.84 $13.84

-17.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$14.40 $14.40

-41.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$18.38 $18.38

-19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$5.22 $5.22

34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.98 $1.98

6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.06 $4.06

45.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.97 $4.97

-12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.67 $2.67

26.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.66 $2.66

39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.24 $2.24

-16.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.13 $3.13

-14.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 $9.19

$13.82 $13.82

-33.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.30 $17.30

$14.88 $14.88

16.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.54 $2.54

-26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.51 $3.51

-27.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.43 $2.43

-49.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.91 $16.91

$73.5 $73.5

-77.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.18 $3.18

59.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.39 $1.39

36.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.14 $35.14

$25.03 $25.03

40.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.20 $1.20

-17.50%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.37%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.20%

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

$144 $144

$194 $194

-25.99%

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

$47.84 $47.84

$69.5 $69.5

-31.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$61.6 $61.6

6.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 $41.55

$47.90 $47.90

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.15 $26.15

$27.34 $27.34

-4.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$17.81 $17.81

-15.33%

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

$834 $834

$1,794 $1,794

-53.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 $48.84

$67.0 $67.0

-27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 $35.07

$52.1 $52.1

-32.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$102 $102

-13.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$144 $144

-18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 $956

$2,526 $2,526

-62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 $982

$1,578 $1,578

-37.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$4,738 $4,738

-54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$2,693 $2,693

-46.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,484 $2,484

$4,190 $4,190

-40.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,767 $1,767

$2,768 $2,768

-36.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,834 $3,834

$4,931 $4,931

-22.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.81

-6.46%

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

Last update for Lincoln, NE: 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

Lincoln, NE

$982 44.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 60.7% $596

Groceries & Markets

Lincoln, NE

$404 18.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.6% $43

Eating Out

Lincoln, NE

$327 14.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 5.6% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lincoln, NE

$257 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 26.6% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Lincoln, NE

$130 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 26.6% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Lincoln, NE

$72 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 16.5% $12

Getting Around

Lincoln, NE

$36 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 157% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Lincoln, NE 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 29% 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 $79 in Lincoln, NE versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $447 – making Lincoln, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:39 8:39 PM

Same time as Lincoln, NE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

277,348

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

Lincoln, NE Chicago, IL 770 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Lincoln, NE
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

Lincoln, NE vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,208 in Lincoln, NE, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Lincoln, NE comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,312 per month in Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $956 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Lincoln, NE 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 $2,208 in Lincoln, NE and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lincoln, NE – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lincoln, NE. 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.