Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Little Rock, AR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Little Rock, AR: $2,150 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Little Rock, AR
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Little Rock, AR Living Index
152

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

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Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,150

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,150 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Little Rock, AR $2,150
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,136 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Little Rock, AR $3,136
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Little Rock, AR $4,122
Chicago, IL $6,115

Little Rock, AR is about 32% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Little Rock, AR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Little Rock, AR by 59%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.69 $16.69

$20.65 $20.65

-19.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$90.2 $90.2

-15.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$12.94 $12.94

-13.91%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$5.60 $5.60

-8.93%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$2.64 $2.64

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.27 $2.27

7.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 $5.61

$6.98 $6.98

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 $6.62

$8.83 $8.83

-25.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.27 $1.27

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.80 $3.80

-28.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$5.30 $5.30

-48.11%

Eggs

$3.37 $3.37

$4.76 $4.76

-29.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$13.96 $13.96

-27.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.06 $12.06

$14.61 $14.61

-17.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.58 $22.58

$18.77 $18.77

20.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$5.19 $5.19

-2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.93 $3.93

15.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.96 $4.96

-21.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.76 $2.76

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.76 $2.76

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.22 $2.22

-13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.98 $2.98

-37.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 $9.26

$14.02 $14.02

-33.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 $13.25

$15.28 $15.28

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.58 $2.58

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.50 $3.50

-50.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.47 $2.47

-43.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.10 $36.10

$74.8 $74.8

-51.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.34 $3.34

-23.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.43 $1.43

6.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.86 $23.86

$24.32 $24.32

-1.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 $1.26

-26.19%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.14%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.24%

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

$219 $219

$193 $193

13.80%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$68.3 $68.3

-13.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$61.3 $61.3

13.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.32 $28.32

$54.1 $54.1

-47.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 $14.15

$27.92 $27.92

-49.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 $13.10

$17.74 $17.74

-26.16%

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

$1,051 $1,051

$1,652 $1,652

-36.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K $19.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

-38.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$66.1 $66.1

-22.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 $38.74

$51.2 $51.2

-24.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 $84.0

$100 $100

-16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$141 $141

7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 $1,145

$2,446 $2,446

-53.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 $883

$1,678 $1,678

-47.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$4,717 $4,717

-67.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$2,795 $2,795

-52.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 $1,912

$4,105 $4,105

-53.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,325 $1,325

$2,650 $2,650

-50.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,988 $3,988

$4,866 $4,866

-18.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.81

-0.88%

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

Last update for Little Rock, AR: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Little Rock, AR

$883 41.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 90.1% $795

Groceries & Markets

Little Rock, AR

$375 17.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 19.8% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Little Rock, AR

$348 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 7.5% $26

Eating Out

Little Rock, AR

$291 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 18.1% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Little Rock, AR

$147 6.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 9.9% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Little Rock, AR

$55 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 64.3% $35

Getting Around

Little Rock, AR

$52 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 83.5% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,145 in Little Rock, AR 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 22% 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 $76.0 in Little Rock, AR versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $449 – making Little Rock, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:51 5:51 AM

Same time as Little Rock, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,591

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Little Rock, AR Chicago, IL 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Little Rock, AR
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

Little Rock, AR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,150 in Little Rock, AR, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 46% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,225 per month in Little Rock, AR 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 Little Rock, AR, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $76.0 in Little Rock, AR and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Little Rock, AR, where all-in costs run around $2,150, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Little Rock, AR 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 $2,150 in Little Rock, AR to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Little Rock, AR. 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.