Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Little Rock, AR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in North Little Rock, AR: $2,649 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in North Little Rock, AR
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North Little Rock, AR Living Index
147

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

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North Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,649

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North Little Rock, AR 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 North Little Rock, AR and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,649 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR $2,649
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR $3,857
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,066 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR $5,066
Chicago, IL $5,999

North Little Rock, AR is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both North Little Rock, AR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – North Little Rock, AR by 95%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.35 $19.35

$20.71 $20.71

-6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$89.2 $89.2

-14.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.19 $13.19

-15.24%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.66 $5.66

-7.77%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.28 $2.28

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$6.87 $6.87

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$8.84 $8.84

-21.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.72 $3.72

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.39 $5.39

-19.67%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$4.74 $4.74

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$13.84 $13.84

-11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 $11.36

$14.40 $14.40

-21.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 $15.70

$18.38 $18.38

-14.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.22 $5.22

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.06 $4.06

6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$4.97 $4.97

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.67 $2.67

4.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.66 $2.66

4.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.24 $2.24

-8.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$3.13 $3.13

-32.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 $9.33

$13.82 $13.82

-32.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 $14.22

$14.88 $14.88

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.54 $2.54

-27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.51 $3.51

-6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.43 $2.43

-19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 $52.6

$73.5 $73.5

-28.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.18 $3.18

12.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.39 $1.39

13.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 $29.07

$25.03 $25.03

16.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.20 $1.20

-24.17%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.42%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.96%

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

$185 $185

$194 $194

-5.10%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$69.5 $69.5

-22.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.6 $61.6

11.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.83 $43.83

$47.90 $47.90

-8.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 $13.66

$17.81 $17.81

-23.30%

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

$1,302 $1,302

$1,794 $1,794

-27.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$67.0 $67.0

-24.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 $40.13

$52.1 $52.1

-23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$102 $102

-15.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$144 $144

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$2,526 $2,526

-37.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$1,578 $1,578

-13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$4,738 $4,738

-44.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 $2,221

$2,693 $2,693

-17.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$4,190 $4,190

-34.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$2,768 $2,768

-11.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 North Little Rock, AR: 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

North Little Rock, AR

$1.4K 51.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 15.4% $211

Groceries & Markets

North Little Rock, AR

$388 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 15.3% $59

Eating Out

North Little Rock, AR

$314 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Little Rock, AR

$307 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6% $19

Clothing & Footwear

North Little Rock, AR

$130 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 26.2% $34

Getting Around

North Little Rock, AR

$72 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 29.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

North Little Rock, AR

$71 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.4% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,581 in North Little Rock, AR 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in North Little Rock, AR versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $447 – making North Little Rock, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:13 10:13 AM

Same time as North Little Rock, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,591

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

North Little Rock, AR Chicago, IL 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

North Little Rock, AR
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

North Little Rock, AR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,649 in North Little Rock, AR, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,974 per month in North Little Rock, AR 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 North Little Rock, AR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,581 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in North Little Rock, AR and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,649 in North Little Rock, AR and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,649 in North Little Rock, AR to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, North Little Rock, AR is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 15% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.