Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maui, HI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,747 in Maui, HI, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

229

Cost of Living Index in Maui, HI
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Maui, HI Living Index
147

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

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Maui, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$4,747

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,747 per month in Maui, HI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maui, HI $4,747
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,648 per month in Maui, HI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maui, HI $6,648
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $8,550 per month in Maui, HI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maui, HI $8,550
Chicago, IL $5,999

Maui, HI costs about 56% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Maui, HI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Maui, HI by 249%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.62 $35.62

$20.71 $20.71

71.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$89.2 $89.2

34.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.24 $15.24

$13.19 $13.19

15.54%

Cappuccino

$6.86 $6.86

$5.66 $5.66

21.20%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.64 $2.64

16.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.28 $2.28

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.87 $6.87

18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.84 $8.84

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.25 $1.25

76.00%

White Bread (500g)

$8.86 $8.86

$3.72 $3.72

138.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$5.39 $5.39

59.93%

Eggs

$8.75 $8.75

$4.74 $4.74

84.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.46 $27.46

$13.84 $13.84

98.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.40 $14.40

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.21 $22.21

$18.38 $18.38

20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$10.05 $10.05

$5.22 $5.22

92.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.98 $1.98

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$4.06 $4.06

148.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$4.97 $4.97

60.56%

Potato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$2.67 $2.67

154.31%

Onion (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$2.66 $2.66

193.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.24 $2.24

116.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.13 $3.13

13.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.92 $16.92

$13.82 $13.82

22.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.74 $19.74

$14.88 $14.88

32.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.54 $2.54

-33.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.51 $3.51

122.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.43 $2.43

13.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$73.5 $73.5

36.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 $9.92

$3.18 $3.18

211.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.39 $1.39

-31.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.20 $1.20

8.33%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

7.45%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

24.54%

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

$395 $395

$194 $194

102.98%

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

$61.5 $61.5

$69.5 $69.5

-11.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$61.6 $61.6

18.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.55 $29.55

$47.90 $47.90

-38.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$17.81 $17.81

-15.89%

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

$1,674 $1,674

$1,794 $1,794

-6.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K $17.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-46.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 $89.8

$67.0 $67.0

33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 $54.5

$52.1 $52.1

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 $131

$102 $102

29.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 $203

$144 $144

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 $2,283

$2,526 $2,526

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,611 $2,611

$1,578 $1,578

65.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,532 $4,532

$4,738 $4,738

-4.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,841 $3,841

$2,693 $2,693

42.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K $14.3K

$4,190 $4,190

242.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,220 $9,220

$2,768 $2,768

233.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,712 $5,712

$4,931 $4,931

15.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.81

-4.26%

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

Last update for Maui, HI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maui, HI

$2.6K 55%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 39.6% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Maui, HI

$711 15%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 37% $263

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maui, HI

$529 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 38.5% $204

Eating Out

Maui, HI

$495 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 30.3% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Maui, HI

$215 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 23.9% $51

Getting Around

Maui, HI

$126 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25.8% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Maui, HI

$60 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 40.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,283 in Maui, HI 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 16% higher in Maui, HI, 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 $120 in Maui, HI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $711 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Maui, HI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:47 7:47 PM

00:47 12:47 AM

5 h ahead of Maui, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,452

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Maui, HI Chicago, IL 6,740 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Maui, HI
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

Maui, HI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,747 in Maui, HI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,120 per month in Maui, HI 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 Maui, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,283 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Maui, HI, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Maui, HI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,747 in Maui, HI and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $4,747 in Maui, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maui, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.