Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandeville, LA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandeville, LA: $1,949 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mandeville, LA, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Mandeville, LA
🇺🇸 United States
$1,949
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,949 per month in Mandeville, LA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Mandeville, LA $1,949
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,907 per month in Mandeville, LA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Mandeville, LA $2,907
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,864 per month in Mandeville, LA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Mandeville, LA $3,864
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Mandeville, LA is about 36% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mandeville, LA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Mandeville, LA by 43%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.55 $13.55
$20.71 $20.71
-34.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.7 $55.7
$89.2 $89.2
-37.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.04 $12.04
$13.19 $13.19
-8.72%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$5.66 $5.66
-3.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.64 $2.64
-19.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.28 $2.28
-24.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.10 $5.10
$6.87 $6.87
-25.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04 $7.04
$8.84 $8.84
-20.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.25 $1.25
-28.80%
White Bread (500g)
$3.41 $3.41
$3.72 $3.72
-8.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$5.39 $5.39
-63.27%
Eggs
$1.85 $1.85
$4.74 $4.74
-60.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.61 $10.61
$13.84 $13.84
-23.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.90 $8.90
$14.40 $14.40
-38.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.85 $13.85
$18.38 $18.38
-24.65%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 $3.38
$5.22 $5.22
-35.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 $1.36
$1.98 $1.98
-31.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 $2.70
$4.06 $4.06
-33.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 $4.21
$4.97 $4.97
-15.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.63 $1.63
$2.67 $2.67
-38.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.66 $2.66
-30.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.24 $2.24
-19.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$3.13 $3.13
-30.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.18 $9.18
$13.82 $13.82
-33.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.76 $14.76
$14.88 $14.88
-0.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.54 $2.54
-19.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$3.51 $3.51
-41.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.43 $2.43
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.5 $73.5
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.45 $2.45
$3.18 $3.18
-22.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.39 $1.39
12.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.83 $25.83
$25.03 $25.03
3.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.78 $0.78
$1.20 $1.20
-35.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$35.0K $35.0K
2.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K $23.9K
$26.7K $26.7K
-10.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 $155
$194 $194
-20.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.67 $39.67
$69.5 $69.5
-42.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.1 $72.1
$61.6 $61.6
17.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.60 $28.60
$47.90 $47.90
-40.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.04 $13.04
$17.81 $17.81
-26.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$623 $623
$1,794 $1,794
-65.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,469 $9,469
$31.9K $31.9K
-70.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.57 $47.57
$67.0 $67.0
-29.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.25 $30.25
$52.1 $52.1
-41.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.2 $81.2
$102 $102
-20.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.9 $79.9
$144 $144
-44.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 $1,170
$2,526 $2,526
-53.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$927 $927
$1,578 $1,578
-41.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,883 $1,883
$4,738 $4,738
-60.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 $1,665
$2,693 $2,693
-38.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,871 $1,871
$4,190 $4,190
-55.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,618 $1,618
$2,768 $2,768
-41.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mandeville, LA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,309 $4,309
$4,931 $4,931
-12.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.54
6.81
-3.96%

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

Last update for Mandeville, LA: 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
Mandeville, LA
$927
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 70.3% $651
Groceries & Markets
Mandeville, LA
$319
Chicago, IL
$447 40.4% $129
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandeville, LA
$266
Chicago, IL
$326 22.2% $59
Eating Out
Mandeville, LA
$265
Chicago, IL
$345 30% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Mandeville, LA
$108
Chicago, IL
$164 52.5% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Mandeville, LA
$55
Chicago, IL
$84 52.7% $29
Getting Around
Mandeville, LA
$10 *
Chicago, IL
$93 806% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,170 in Mandeville, LA 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 14% 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 $56 in Mandeville, LA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $447 – making Mandeville, LA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Mandeville, LA
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
14:47 2:47 PM
14:47 2:47 PM
Same time as Mandeville, LA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,192
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mandeville, LA Chicago, IL 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mandeville, LA
  • 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
Mandeville, LA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mandeville, LA and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,949 in Mandeville, LA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Mandeville, LA comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Mandeville, LA compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in Mandeville, LA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mandeville, LA and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandeville, LA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,170 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Mandeville, LA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 40% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mandeville, LA, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Mandeville, LA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Mandeville, LA or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Mandeville, LA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Mandeville, LA and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Mandeville, LA. 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.

Mandeville, LA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?