Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Bern, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in New Bern, NC: $2,061 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in New Bern, NC
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New Bern, NC Living Index
147

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

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New Bern, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,061

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,061 per month in New Bern, NC vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Bern, NC $2,061
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,317 per month in New Bern, NC vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Bern, NC $3,317
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,573 per month in New Bern, NC vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Bern, NC $4,573
Chicago, IL $5,999

New Bern, NC is about 32% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both New Bern, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – New Bern, NC by 51%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 $18.15

$20.71 $20.71

-12.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 $86.1

$89.2 $89.2

-3.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$13.19 $13.19

-9.78%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$5.66 $5.66

-8.30%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.64 $2.64

10.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.28 $2.28

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.87 $6.87

-12.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$8.84 $8.84

-18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.25 $1.25

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.72 $3.72

-11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.39 $5.39

-5.57%

Eggs

$3.41 $3.41

$4.74 $4.74

-28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$13.84 $13.84

-6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$14.40 $14.40

-25.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$18.38 $18.38

-17.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.22 $5.22

0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.98 $1.98

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$4.06 $4.06

-28.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$4.97 $4.97

11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.67 $2.67

5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.66 $2.66

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.24 $2.24

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.13 $3.13

-29.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 $7.37

$13.82 $13.82

-46.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 $12.47

$14.88 $14.88

-16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.54 $2.54

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.51 $3.51

-39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.18 $3.18

6.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.39 $1.39

65.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.86 $32.86

$25.03 $25.03

31.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.20 $1.20

-32.50%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.28%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-12.43%

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

$156 $156

$194 $194

-19.83%

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

$71.7 $71.7

$69.5 $69.5

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$61.6 $61.6

9.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 $55.6

$47.90 $47.90

15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 $11.18

$17.81 $17.81

-37.23%

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

$1,794 $1,794

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$67.0 $67.0

-9.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.32 $35.32

$52.1 $52.1

-32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 $83.9

$102 $102

-17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 $87.7

$144 $144

-38.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 $1,153

$2,526 $2,526

-54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$1,578 $1,578

-44.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,198 $2,198

$4,738 $4,738

-53.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 $1,847

$2,693 $2,693

-31.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 $2,056

$4,190 $4,190

-50.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,078 $2,078

$2,768 $2,768

-24.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,658 $3,658

$4,931 $4,931

-25.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for New Bern, NC: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New Bern, NC

$869 42.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 81.6% $709

Groceries & Markets

New Bern, NC

$374 18.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 19.5% $73

Eating Out

New Bern, NC

$309 15%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.6% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New Bern, NC

$295 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 10.3% $30

Clothing & Footwear

New Bern, NC

$120 5.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 36.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

New Bern, NC

$78 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 7.2% $5.6

Getting Around

New Bern, NC

$15 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 527% $78

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,153 in New Bern, NC 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 35% 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 $86 in New Bern, NC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $447 – making New Bern, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New Bern, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:23 6:23 PM

17:23 5:23 PM

1 h behind New Bern, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,291

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

New Bern, NC Chicago, IL 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New Bern, NC
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

New Bern, NC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,061 in New Bern, NC, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – New Bern, NC comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,091 per month in New Bern, NC 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 New Bern, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,153 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in New Bern, NC and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,061 in New Bern, NC and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes New Bern, NC about 32% cheaper.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in New Bern, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,061, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In New Bern, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,061 in New Bern, NC to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with New Bern, NC. 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.