Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Minot, ND and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Minot, ND: $1,949 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Minot, ND
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Minot, ND Living Index
146

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

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Minot, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$1,949

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,949 per month in Minot, ND vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Minot, ND $1,949
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $2,967 per month in Minot, ND vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Minot, ND $2,967
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $3,984 per month in Minot, ND vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Minot, ND $3,984
Chicago, IL $6,019

Minot, ND is about 37% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Minot, ND and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Minot, ND by 44%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 $15.98

$20.39 $20.39

-21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 $65.8

$88.6 $88.6

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.48 $12.48

$12.85 $12.85

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$7.27 $7.27

$5.78 $5.78

25.78%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.74 $2.74

13.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.26 $2.26

11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$6.88 $6.88

-13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$9.24 $9.24

-22.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.26 $1.26

-17.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.55 $3.55

-9.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.38 $5.38

-39.59%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$4.55 $4.55

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$13.65 $13.65

-67.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.15 $16.15

$14.07 $14.07

14.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 $22.90

$18.06 $18.06

26.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$5.16 $5.16

-13.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.98 $1.98

2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.88 $3.88

-6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.83 $4.83

-9.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.81 $2.81

19.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.67 $2.67

44.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.07 $2.07

46.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.03 $3.03

-8.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 $8.33

$13.90 $13.90

-40.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$15.05 $15.05

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.28 $1.28

-34.38%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$35.8K $35.8K

-16.03%

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

$21.7K $21.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-18.89%

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

$209 $209

$192 $192

8.94%

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

$155 $155

$69.6 $69.6

122.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 $75.3

$62.2 $62.2

21.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$17.83 $17.83

-15.76%

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

$1,054 $1,054

$1,815 $1,815

-41.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.22 $35.22

$66.2 $66.2

-46.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 $62.7

$51.4 $51.4

22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$103 $103

10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 $75.0

$143 $143

-47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 $940

$2,531 $2,531

-62.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 $628

$1,621 $1,621

-61.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 $1,687

$4,828 $4,828

-65.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 $1,134

$2,734 $2,734

-58.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,510 $1,510

$4,163 $4,163

-63.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,558 $1,558

$2,723 $2,723

-42.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,538 $3,538

$4,924 $4,924

-28.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.78

-2.36%

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

Last update for Minot, ND: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Minot, ND

$628 32.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 158% $993

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Minot, ND

$439 22.5%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 26.3% $115

Groceries & Markets

Minot, ND

$403 * 20.7%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 9% $36

Eating Out

Minot, ND

$319 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 7.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Minot, ND

$129 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 26.6% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Minot, ND

$30 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 178% $53

Getting Around

Minot, ND

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Minot, ND versus $2,531 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 39% 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 $66 in Minot, ND versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $439 – making Minot, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Minot, ND

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:27 9:27 AM

Same time as Minot, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,745

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Minot, ND Chicago, IL 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Minot, ND
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

Minot, ND vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,949 in Minot, ND, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Minot, ND comes out roughly 37% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,923 per month in Minot, ND and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Minot, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $940 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Minot, ND and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Minot, ND, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Minot, ND it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minot, ND – 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 Minot, ND. 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.