Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Platte, NE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in North Platte, NE: $2,357 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in North Platte, NE
Learn more

North Platte, NE Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

North Platte, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,357

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,357 per month in North Platte, NE vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Platte, NE $2,357
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,543 per month in North Platte, NE vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Platte, NE $3,543
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,729 per month in North Platte, NE vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Platte, NE $4,729
Chicago, IL $6,115

North Platte, NE is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both North Platte, NE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – North Platte, NE by 74%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 $19.09

$20.65 $20.65

-7.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 $84.2

$90.2 $90.2

-6.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.94 $12.94

-5.87%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$5.60 $5.60

-5.89%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.64 $2.64

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.27 $2.27

-13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 $6.21

$6.98 $6.98

-11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.83 $8.83

-10.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.27 $1.27

-22.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.80 $3.80

-5.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.30 $5.30

-6.23%

Eggs

$3.76 $3.76

$4.76 $4.76

-21.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$13.96 $13.96

-10.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 $10.29

$14.61 $14.61

-29.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 $16.25

$18.77 $18.77

-13.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$5.19 $5.19

-12.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.98 $1.98

-14.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.93 $3.93

19.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.96 $4.96

-7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.76 $2.76

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.76 $2.76

1.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.22 $2.22

9.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.98 $2.98

-19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$14.02 $14.02

-32.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 $13.24

$15.28 $15.28

-13.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.58 $2.58

-32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.50 $3.50

-6.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.47 $2.47

-9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.34 $3.34

-20.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.43 $1.43

39.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 $25.92

$24.32 $24.32

6.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.26 $1.26

-15.87%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.17%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

9.67%

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

$189 $189

$193 $193

-1.85%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$68.3 $68.3

-24.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$61.3 $61.3

6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.51 $36.51

$54.1 $54.1

-32.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 $13.62

$17.74 $17.74

-23.22%

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

$1,240 $1,240

$1,652 $1,652

-24.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

-20.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$66.1 $66.1

-21.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.52 $43.52

$51.2 $51.2

-15.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 $97.4

$100 $100

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$141 $141

-17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 $1,564

$2,446 $2,446

-36.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 $1,120

$1,678 $1,678

-33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$4,717 $4,717

-43.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,795 $2,795

-30.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 $1,916

$4,105 $4,105

-53.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,873 $1,873

$2,650 $2,650

-29.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for North Platte, NE: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

North Platte, NE

$1.1K 47.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 49.8% $558

Groceries & Markets

North Platte, NE

$388 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 16% $62

Eating Out

North Platte, NE

$319 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 7.5% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Platte, NE

$306 13%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5.4% $17

Clothing & Footwear

North Platte, NE

$139 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 15.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

North Platte, NE

$64 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 40.5% $26

Getting Around

North Platte, NE

$22 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 341% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,564 in North Platte, NE versus $2,446 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 $84.0 in North Platte, NE versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $449 – making North Platte, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Platte, NE

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:35 11:35 PM

Same time as North Platte, NE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,386

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

North Platte, NE Chicago, IL 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

North Platte, NE
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 Platte, NE vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,357 in North Platte, NE, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,536 per month in North Platte, NE and $4,708 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 Platte, NE, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in North Platte, NE and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,357 in North Platte, NE and $3,139 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 $2,357 in North Platte, NE to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with North Platte, NE. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.