Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Missoula, MT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Missoula, MT: $2,609 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Missoula, MT
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Missoula, MT Living Index
146

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

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Missoula, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,609

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,609 per month in Missoula, MT vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Missoula, MT $2,609
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,087 per month in Missoula, MT vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Missoula, MT $4,087
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,565 per month in Missoula, MT vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Missoula, MT $5,565
Chicago, IL $6,019

Missoula, MT is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Missoula, MT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Missoula, MT by 93%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.73 $16.73

$20.39 $20.39

-17.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$88.6 $88.6

-15.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 $9.27

$12.85 $12.85

-27.86%

Cappuccino

$4.37 $4.37

$5.78 $5.78

-24.39%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$2.74 $2.74

13.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.26 $2.26

3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$6.88 $6.88

-14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$9.24 $9.24

-35.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.26 $1.26

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.55 $3.55

-3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.38 $5.38

-7.43%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$4.55 $4.55

-6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.81 $24.81

$13.65 $13.65

81.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$14.07 $14.07

-31.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$18.06 $18.06

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.16 $5.16

-6.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$3.88 $3.88

67.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.83 $4.83

-22.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.81 $2.81

-17.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.67 $2.67

10.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.07 $2.07

16.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.03 $3.03

28.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.50 $10.50

$13.90 $13.90

-24.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.82 $24.82

$15.05 $15.05

64.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.63 $2.63

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.45 $3.45

26.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.17 $3.17

61.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.99 $4.99

$1.70 $1.70

193.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 $39.29

$24.90 $24.90

57.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.28 $1.28

-14.84%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-9.72%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-8.44%

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

$139 $139

$192 $192

-27.71%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$69.6 $69.6

-24.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$62.2 $62.2

11.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.22 $49.22

$47.79 $47.79

2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.25 $22.25

$27.10 $27.10

-17.90%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$17.83 $17.83

-22.88%

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

$2,009 $2,009

$1,815 $1,815

10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$40.6K $40.6K

-56.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 $66.4

$66.2 $66.2

0.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 $44.46

$51.4 $51.4

-13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 $103

1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$143 $143

4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$2,531 $2,531

-39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 $1,324

$1,621 $1,621

-18.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,992 $2,992

$4,828 $4,828

-38.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$2,734 $2,734

-3.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 $4,211

$4,163 $4,163

1.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,475 $3,475

$2,723 $2,723

27.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,666 $3,666

$4,924 $4,924

-25.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.78

0.88%

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

Last update for Missoula, MT: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Missoula, MT

$1.3K 50.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 22.5% $298

Groceries & Markets

Missoula, MT

$477 18.3%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 8% $38

Eating Out

Missoula, MT

$277 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 24.2% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Missoula, MT

$261 10%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 24.2% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Missoula, MT

$164 6.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 0.2% $0.4

Sport & Entertainment

Missoula, MT

$77 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 8.8% $6.7

Getting Around

Missoula, MT

$30 * 1.2%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 221% $67

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,522 in Missoula, MT 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 34% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Missoula, MT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $477 in Missoula, MT vs $439 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Missoula, MT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

17:28 5:28 PM

1 h ahead of Missoula, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,489

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Missoula, MT Chicago, IL 2,160 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Missoula, MT
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

Missoula, MT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,609 in Missoula, MT, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Missoula, MT comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,914 per month in Missoula, MT 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 Missoula, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,522 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Missoula, MT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,609 in Missoula, MT and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Missoula, MT costs $2,609 versus $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Missoula, MT. 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.