Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Louisville, KY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Louisville, KY: $2,241 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Louisville, KY
Learn more

Louisville, KY Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Louisville, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,241

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,241 per month in Louisville, KY vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Louisville, KY $2,241
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,445 per month in Louisville, KY vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Louisville, KY $3,445
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,648 per month in Louisville, KY vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Louisville, KY $4,648
Chicago, IL $6,115

Louisville, KY is about 29% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Louisville, KY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Louisville, KY by 65%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 $14.79

$20.65 $20.65

-28.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 $71.4

$90.2 $90.2

-20.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 $9.66

$12.94 $12.94

-25.35%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$5.60 $5.60

-7.50%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$2.64 $2.64

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.27 $2.27

-29.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.98 $6.98

-15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.83 $8.83

-20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.27 $1.27

-40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.80 $3.80

-12.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$5.30 $5.30

-3.21%

Eggs

$3.60 $3.60

$4.76 $4.76

-24.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$13.96 $13.96

10.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.10 $12.10

$14.61 $14.61

-17.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$18.77 $18.77

-13.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.19 $5.19

3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.98 $1.98

-19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.93 $3.93

15.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.96 $4.96

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.76 $2.76

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.76 $2.76

9.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.22 $2.22

1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.98 $2.98

-20.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.24 $9.24

$14.02 $14.02

-34.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$15.28 $15.28

3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.58 $2.58

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.50 $3.50

12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.47 $2.47

-31.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 $50.6

$74.8 $74.8

-32.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.34 $3.34

-16.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.43 $1.43

-1.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.34 $30.34

$24.32 $24.32

24.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.26 $1.26

-24.60%

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

$33.9K $33.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-3.10%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.27%

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

$180 $180

$193 $193

-6.61%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$68.3 $68.3

-11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$61.3 $61.3

11.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.34 $20.34

$54.1 $54.1

-62.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.45 $2.45

$27.92 $27.92

-91.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 $11.13

$17.74 $17.74

-37.26%

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

$1,268 $1,268

$1,652 $1,652

-23.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-47.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 $49.73

$66.1 $66.1

-24.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.18 $41.18

$51.2 $51.2

-19.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$100 $100

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$141 $141

-21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$2,446 $2,446

-35.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$1,678 $1,678

-40.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,971 $1,971

$4,717 $4,717

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 $1,923

$2,795 $2,795

-31.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,682 $2,682

$4,105 $4,105

-34.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,779 $1,779

$2,650 $2,650

-32.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,973 $3,973

$4,866 $4,866

-18.34%

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 Louisville, KY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Louisville, KY

$1K 44.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 66.7% $671

Groceries & Markets

Louisville, KY

$414 18.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 8.6% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Louisville, KY

$308 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 4.5% $14

Eating Out

Louisville, KY

$268 12%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 28% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Louisville, KY

$135 6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 19.7% $27

Getting Around

Louisville, KY

$67 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 41.5% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Louisville, KY

$43 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 110% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,582 in Louisville, KY 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 $71.0 in Louisville, KY versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $449 – making Louisville, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Louisville, KY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:11 4:11 AM

03:11 3:11 AM

1 h behind Louisville, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

612,780

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Louisville, KY Chicago, IL 430 km

From you

Louisville, KY
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

Louisville, KY vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,241 in Louisville, KY, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,362 per month in Louisville, KY 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 Louisville, KY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $71.0 in Louisville, KY and $90.0 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 $2,241 in Louisville, KY and $3,139 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 $2,241 in Louisville, KY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Louisville, KY. 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.