Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mesa, AZ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Mesa, AZ: $2,573 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Mesa, AZ
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Mesa, AZ Living Index
152

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

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Mesa, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,573

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,573 per month in Mesa, AZ vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mesa, AZ $2,573
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,821 per month in Mesa, AZ vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mesa, AZ $3,821
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,069 per month in Mesa, AZ vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mesa, AZ $5,069
Chicago, IL $6,115

Mesa, AZ is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mesa, AZ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Mesa, AZ by 90%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$20.65 $20.65

-4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 $79.1

$90.2 $90.2

-12.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.37 $13.37

$12.94 $12.94

3.32%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.60 $5.60

6.43%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.27 $2.27

-3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$6.98 $6.98

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 $7.48

$8.83 $8.83

-15.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.27 $1.27

-25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.80 $3.80

7.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.30 $5.30

12.26%

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

$4.76 $4.76

-3.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 $13.64

$13.96 $13.96

-2.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 $13.63

$14.61 $14.61

-6.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 $17.03

$18.77 $18.77

-9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$5.19 $5.19

5.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.98 $1.98

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.93 $3.93

5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.96 $4.96

6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.76 $2.76

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.76 $2.76

9.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.22 $2.22

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.98 $2.98

-12.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 $10.95

$14.02 $14.02

-21.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$15.28 $15.28

-6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.58 $2.58

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.50 $3.50

-1.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.47 $2.47

2.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.80 $34.80

$74.8 $74.8

-53.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.34 $3.34

-16.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.43 $1.43

-5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.96 $35.96

$24.32 $24.32

47.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.26 $1.26

-8.73%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

5.35%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.07%

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

$234 $234

$193 $193

21.49%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$68.3 $68.3

-8.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 $72.7

$61.3 $61.3

18.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 $41.52

$54.1 $54.1

-23.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.12 $11.12

$27.92 $27.92

-60.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 $12.81

$17.74 $17.74

-27.79%

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

$1,178 $1,178

$1,652 $1,652

-28.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K $15.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-50.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$66.1 $66.1

-17.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.70 $43.70

$51.2 $51.2

-14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$100 $100

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$141 $141

-18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$2,446 $2,446

-43.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 $1,170

$1,678 $1,678

-30.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 $2,300

$4,717 $4,717

-51.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 $1,998

$2,795 $2,795

-28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,186 $3,186

$4,105 $4,105

-22.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,747 $2,747

$2,650 $2,650

3.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,310 $4,310

$4,866 $4,866

-11.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.81

-5.43%

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

Last update for Mesa, AZ: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mesa, AZ

$1.2K 45.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 43.4% $508

Groceries & Markets

Mesa, AZ

$438 17%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 2.7% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mesa, AZ

$369 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 12.7% $47

Eating Out

Mesa, AZ

$334 13%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 2.8% $9.3

Clothing & Footwear

Mesa, AZ

$140 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 15.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Mesa, AZ

$67 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 33.5% $22

Getting Around

Mesa, AZ

$55 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 74.5% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,380 in Mesa, AZ 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 13% 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 $79.0 in Mesa, AZ versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $438 vs $449 – making Mesa, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mesa, AZ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

00:22 12:22 AM

2 h ahead of Mesa, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

504,258

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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Highest

Between locations

Mesa, AZ Chicago, IL 2,320 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mesa, AZ
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

Mesa, AZ vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,573 in Mesa, AZ, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,859 per month in Mesa, AZ 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 Mesa, AZ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $79.0 in Mesa, AZ 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 $2,573 in Mesa, AZ 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 $2,573 in Mesa, AZ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mesa, AZ. 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.