Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manhattan, KS and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Manhattan, KS: $2,248 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Manhattan, KS
Learn more

Manhattan, KS Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Manhattan, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,248

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,248 per month in Manhattan, KS vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Manhattan, KS $2,248
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,250 per month in Manhattan, KS vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Manhattan, KS $3,250
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,252 per month in Manhattan, KS vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Manhattan, KS $4,252
Chicago, IL $5,999

Manhattan, KS is about 26% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manhattan, KS and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Manhattan, KS by 65%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 $14.90

$20.71 $20.71

-28.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$89.2 $89.2

-8.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$13.19 $13.19

-7.43%

Cappuccino

$5.43 $5.43

$5.66 $5.66

-4.06%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.64 $2.64

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.28 $2.28

-35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$6.87 $6.87

-28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 $9.25

$8.84 $8.84

4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.25 $1.25

-24.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.72 $3.72

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$5.39 $5.39

11.50%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$4.74 $4.74

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$13.84 $13.84

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.54 $8.54

$14.40 $14.40

-40.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 $14.95

$18.38 $18.38

-18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$5.22 $5.22

28.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.98 $1.98

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$4.06 $4.06

44.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.97 $4.97

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.67 $2.67

28.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.66 $2.66

44.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.24 $2.24

-17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.13 $3.13

-17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 $9.02

$13.82 $13.82

-34.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.94 $16.94

$14.88 $14.88

13.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.54 $2.54

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.51 $3.51

-27.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$73.5 $73.5

-17.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.18 $3.18

53.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.39 $1.39

30.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.66 $34.66

$25.03 $25.03

38.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.20 $1.20

-29.17%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.14%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.37%

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

$147 $147

$194 $194

-24.38%

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

$46.90 $46.90

$69.5 $69.5

-32.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$61.6 $61.6

7.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 $76.0

$47.90 $47.90

58.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$17.81 $17.81

-17.18%

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

$814 $814

$1,794 $1,794

-54.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K $11.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-64.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.85 $47.85

$67.0 $67.0

-28.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 $35.46

$52.1 $52.1

-31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 $90.7

$102 $102

-10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$144 $144

-18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 $900

$2,526 $2,526

-64.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 $998

$1,578 $1,578

-36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$4,738 $4,738

-69.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 $1,412

$2,693 $2,693

-47.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,514 $1,514

$4,190 $4,190

-63.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 $1,504

$2,768 $2,768

-45.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,407 $3,407

$4,931 $4,931

-30.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

6.81

-7.05%

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

Last update for Manhattan, KS: 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

Manhattan, KS

$998 44.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 58.2% $580

Groceries & Markets

Manhattan, KS

$402 17.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 11.4% $46

Eating Out

Manhattan, KS

$278 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 24.1% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manhattan, KS

$260 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 25.2% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Manhattan, KS

$131 5.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 25.4% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Manhattan, KS

$106 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.9% $22

Getting Around

Manhattan, KS

$75 * 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25.1% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Manhattan, KS 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 45% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Manhattan, KS versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $447 – making Manhattan, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Manhattan, KS

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:12 10:12 PM

Same time as Manhattan, KS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,694,251

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

Manhattan, KS Chicago, IL 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Manhattan, KS
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

Manhattan, KS vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,248 in Manhattan, KS, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Manhattan, KS comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,372 per month in Manhattan, KS 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 Manhattan, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $900 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 $81 in Manhattan, KS and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Manhattan, KS, where all-in costs run around $2,248, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Manhattan, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manhattan, KS – 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 Manhattan, KS. 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.