Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Cincinnati, OH

For one person, living costs are similar in Normal, IL and in Cincinnati, OH: $2,269 and $2,343 a month, rent and utilities included.

111

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
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Normal, IL Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index

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Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,343

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Normal, IL and in Cincinnati, OH

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Normal, IL and in Cincinnati, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Normal, IL vs $2,343 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Normal, IL $2,269
Cincinnati, OH $2,343

A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Normal, IL vs $3,438 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Normal, IL $3,356
Cincinnati, OH $3,438

A family of three spends $4,443 per month in Normal, IL vs $4,533 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Normal, IL $4,443
Cincinnati, OH $4,533

Normal, IL is about 3% cheaper than Cincinnati, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Normal, IL and Cincinnati, OH sit above the global median – Normal, IL by 67%, Cincinnati, OH by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 $11.29

$15.05 $15.05

-24.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$49.13 $49.13

2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$9.97 $9.97

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$5.01 $5.01

2.59%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$2.30 $2.30

47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.72 $1.72

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 $5.27

$5.46 $5.46

-3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$7.34 $7.34

-17.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.87 $0.87

-8.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.35 $3.35

-21.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$4.03 $4.03

-20.10%

Eggs

$3.84 $3.84

$4.08 $4.08

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$12.79 $12.79

-30.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$11.17 $11.17

12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 $18.70

$16.12 $16.12

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$5.67 $5.67

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.58 $1.58

-22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$4.41 $4.41

48.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.82 $4.82

6.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.62 $2.62

29.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.31 $3.31

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.11 $2.11

-2.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.84 $1.84

25.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.32 $11.32

$9.97 $9.97

13.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$14.95 $14.95

-26.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.16 $2.16

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.06 $3.06

-1.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.70 $2.70

-4.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.0 $93.0

$105 $105

-11.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.78 $3.78

55.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.26 $1.26

-13.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.21 $18.21

$24.69 $24.69

-26.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.08 $1.08

-15.74%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.44%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.86%

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

$274 $274

$151 $151

81.25%

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

$97.9 $97.9

$76.3 $76.3

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$71.7 $71.7

-10.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 $39.78

$36.06 $36.06

10.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 $13.98

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$15.23 $15.23

-22.52%

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

$1,055 $1,055

$1,443 $1,443

-26.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K $19.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.33 $30.33

$45.54 $45.54

-33.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 $39.25

$45.50 $45.50

-13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 $68.4

$83.5 $83.5

-18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$109 $109

40.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 $994

$1,556 $1,556

-36.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 $895

$1,067 $1,067

-16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 $1,761

$3,194 $3,194

-44.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$1,793 $1,793

-9.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,700 $9,700

$3,497 $3,497

177.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,138 $2,138

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,253 $4,253

$4,149 $4,149

2.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.59

-0.61%

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

Last update for Normal, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Normal, IL

$895 39.4%

Cincinnati, OH

$1.1K 45.5% 19.3% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Normal, IL

$436 19.2%

Cincinnati, OH

$299 12.8% 31.4% $137

Groceries & Markets

Normal, IL

$390 17.2%

Cincinnati, OH

$389 16.6% 0.3% $1.3

Eating Out

Normal, IL

$240 10.6%

Cincinnati, OH

$268 11.5% 11.9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Normal, IL

$131 5.8%

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.4% 2.5% $3.3

Getting Around

Normal, IL

$115 5.1%

Cincinnati, OH

$126 5.4% 9.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Normal, IL

$63 2.8%

Cincinnati, OH

$67 2.8% 5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Normal, IL versus $1,556 in Cincinnati, OH. 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 3% higher in Normal, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Normal, IL versus $49.00 in Cincinnati, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $389 – making Cincinnati, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🕒 Local time

20:50 8:50 PM

21:50 9:50 PM

1 h ahead of Normal, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,497

298,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Normal, IL Cincinnati, OH 410 km

From you

Normal, IL
Cincinnati, OH

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

Normal, IL vs Cincinnati, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,269 in Normal, IL, $2,343 in Cincinnati, OH – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,404 per month in Normal, IL and $3,515 in Cincinnati, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Normal, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,269 in Normal, IL and $2,343 in Cincinnati, OH. That's a gap of about 3%.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Normal, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Normal, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in Cincinnati, OH at $2,343. In Normal, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cincinnati, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Normal, IL – 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 Normal, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cincinnati, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.