Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Montgomery, AL: $2,157 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Montgomery, AL
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Montgomery, AL Living Index
147

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

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Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,157

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,157 per month in Montgomery, AL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Montgomery, AL $2,157
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,969 per month in Montgomery, AL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Montgomery, AL $2,969
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,781 per month in Montgomery, AL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Montgomery, AL $3,781
Chicago, IL $5,999

Montgomery, AL is about 29% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montgomery, AL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Montgomery, AL by 58%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.77 $15.77

$20.71 $20.71

-23.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$89.2 $89.2

-37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 $10.39

$13.19 $13.19

-21.23%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$5.66 $5.66

-1.59%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.64 $2.64

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.28 $2.28

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 $4.40

$6.87 $6.87

-35.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$8.84 $8.84

-45.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.25 $1.25

-28.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.72 $3.72

-4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$5.39 $5.39

-61.41%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$4.74 $4.74

-33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 $8.20

$13.84 $13.84

-40.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$14.40 $14.40

-47.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 $14.55

$18.38 $18.38

-20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$5.22 $5.22

-21.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.98 $1.98

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$4.06 $4.06

-50.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.97 $4.97

-19.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.67 $2.67

18.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.66 $2.66

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.24 $2.24

-7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.13 $3.13

-29.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.51 $8.51

$13.82 $13.82

-38.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.88 $14.88

0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.54 $2.54

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.51 $3.51

11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.11 $45.11

$73.5 $73.5

-38.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.18 $3.18

-23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.39 $1.39

17.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.31 $26.31

$25.03 $25.03

5.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.20 $1.20

-27.50%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.53%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.56%

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

$300 $300

$194 $194

54.20%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$69.5 $69.5

-25.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$61.6 $61.6

15.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.13 $33.13

$47.90 $47.90

-30.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.24 $28.24

$27.34 $27.34

3.29%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 $10.09

$17.81 $17.81

-43.35%

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

$1,385 $1,385

$1,794 $1,794

-22.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K $13.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

-56.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.94 $47.94

$67.0 $67.0

-28.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 $35.15

$52.1 $52.1

-32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 $85.4

$102 $102

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 $94.8

$144 $144

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 $1,409

$2,526 $2,526

-44.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$898 $898

$1,578 $1,578

-43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 $1,926

$4,738 $4,738

-59.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$2,693 $2,693

-55.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,405 $1,405

$4,190 $4,190

-66.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 $1,227

$2,768 $2,768

-55.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 $3,599

$4,931 $4,931

-27.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.81

-3.96%

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

Last update for Montgomery, AL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montgomery, AL

$898 41.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 75.6% $680

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montgomery, AL

$423 19.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 23% $97

Groceries & Markets

Montgomery, AL

$325 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 37.5% $122

Eating Out

Montgomery, AL

$275 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 25.5% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Montgomery, AL

$118 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 38.4% $46

Getting Around

Montgomery, AL

$64 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 46.1% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Montgomery, AL

$53 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 56.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,409 in Montgomery, AL 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 37% 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 $56 in Montgomery, AL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $447 – making Montgomery, AL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:18 1:18 AM

Same time as Montgomery, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,603

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Montgomery, AL Chicago, IL 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Montgomery, AL
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

Montgomery, AL vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,157 in Montgomery, AL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Montgomery, AL comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,236 per month in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,409 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Montgomery, AL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Montgomery, AL, where all-in costs run around $2,157, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Montgomery, AL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montgomery, AL – 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 Montgomery, AL. 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.