Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Alamos, NM and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Alamos, NM: $1,060 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Los Alamos, NM
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Los Alamos, NM Living Index
152

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

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Los Alamos, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$1,060

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Los Alamos, NM vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Los Alamos, NM $1,060
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $1,643 per month in Los Alamos, NM vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Los Alamos, NM $1,643
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $2,227 per month in Los Alamos, NM vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Los Alamos, NM $2,227
Chicago, IL $6,115

Los Alamos, NM is about 66% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Los Alamos, NM sits 22% below the global median, while Chicago, IL is 132% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.75 $16.75

$20.65 $20.65

-18.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.58 $39.58

$90.2 $90.2

-56.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$12.94 $12.94

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$5.60 $5.60

-11.61%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$2.64 $2.64

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.27 $2.27

-32.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.98 $6.98

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$8.83 $8.83

-21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.27 $1.27

-25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.80 $3.80

-43.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$5.30 $5.30

-12.83%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$4.76 $4.76

-15.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 $11.89

$13.96 $13.96

-14.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$14.61 $14.61

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.91 $17.91

$18.77 $18.77

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$5.19 $5.19

-6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.98 $1.98

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.93 $3.93

-27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.96 $4.96

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.76 $2.76

-59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.76 $2.76

21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 $2.22

-7.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

$2.98 $2.98

-82.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 $11.00

$14.02 $14.02

-21.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.28 $15.28

-9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.58 $2.58

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.50 $3.50

4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.34 $3.34

8.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.43 $1.43

35.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.32 $32.32

$24.32 $24.32

32.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.26 $1.26

-25.40%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.22%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

-2.90%

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

$156 $156

$193 $193

-18.86%

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

$40.31 $40.31

$68.3 $68.3

-40.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$61.3 $61.3

18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 $12.88

$17.74 $17.74

-27.40%

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

$1,480 $1,480

$1,652 $1,652

-10.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-19.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.09 $20.09

$66.1 $66.1

-69.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.66 $43.66

$51.2 $51.2

-14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$141 $141

-17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 $1,101

$2,446 $2,446

-55.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 $1,926

$4,717 $4,717

-59.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,369 $3,369

$4,105 $4,105

-17.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 $3,369

$2,650 $2,650

27.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,167 $8,167

$4,866 $4,866

67.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Los Alamos, NM: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Los Alamos, NM

$342 32.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 31.5% $108

Eating Out

Los Alamos, NM

$282 26.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 21.6% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Alamos, NM

$269 25.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 19.7% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Los Alamos, NM

$127 12%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 26.7% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Los Alamos, NM

$26 * 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 248% $64

Getting Around

Los Alamos, NM

$13 * 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 614% $82

Accommodation & Living

Los Alamos, NM

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,101 in Los Alamos, NM 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 68% higher in Los Alamos, NM, 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 $40.00 in Los Alamos, NM versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $449 – making Los Alamos, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Los Alamos, NM

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:49 11:49 AM

12:49 12:49 PM

1 h ahead of Los Alamos, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,179

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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Between locations

Los Alamos, NM Chicago, IL 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Los Alamos, NM
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

Los Alamos, NM vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,060 in Los Alamos, NM, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 196% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Los Alamos, NM 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 Los Alamos, NM, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Los Alamos, NM and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Los Alamos, NM, where all-in costs run around $1,060, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Los Alamos, NM 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 $1,060 in Los Alamos, NM to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Los Alamos, NM. 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.