Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Park City, UT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Park City, UT: $1,229 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Park City, UT
🇺🇸 United States
$1,229
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,229 per month in Park City, UT vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Park City, UT $1,229
  • Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,231 per month in Park City, UT vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Park City, UT $3,231
  • Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,234 per month in Park City, UT vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Park City, UT $5,234
  • Chicago, IL $6,077

Park City, UT is about 61% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Park City, UT sits 9% below the global median, while Chicago, IL is 136% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.23 $18.23
$21.58 $21.58
-15.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 $73.0
$88.7 $88.7
-17.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 $9.81
$13.20 $13.20
-25.68%
Cappuccino
$4.92 $4.92
$5.59 $5.59
-11.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$2.63 $2.63
-14.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.26 $2.26
-24.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.96 $5.96
$7.11 $7.11
-16.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.03 $7.03
$9.23 $9.23
-23.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.28 $1.28
-30.47%
White Bread (500g)
$3.97 $3.97
$3.84 $3.84
3.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.13 $4.13
$5.07 $5.07
-18.54%
Eggs
$3.64 $3.64
$4.84 $4.84
-24.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.04 $6.04
$14.17 $14.17
-57.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.20 $12.20
$14.61 $14.61
-16.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.35 $17.35
$18.76 $18.76
-7.52%
Apples (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$5.19 $5.19
-19.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 $1.37
$2.00 $2.00
-31.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.58 $3.58
$4.00 $4.00
-10.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$4.98 $4.98
-18.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.29 $2.29
$2.79 $2.79
-17.92%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 $2.51
$2.65 $2.65
-5.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 $1.84
$2.13 $2.13
-13.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$3.09 $3.09
-40.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.57 $8.57
$16.05 $16.05
-46.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.76 $14.76
$15.20 $15.20
-2.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.62 $2.62
5.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 $3.39
$3.46 $3.46
-2.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.47 $2.47
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.1 $75.1
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.46 $2.46
$3.21 $3.21
-23.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 $2.25
$1.39 $1.39
61.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.24 $25.24
$25.02 $25.02
0.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.24 $1.24
-9.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K $35.9K
$37.2K $37.2K
-3.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$25.8K $25.8K
-0.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 $169
$192 $192
-11.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.41 $48.41
$67.8 $67.8
-28.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.8 $79.8
$60.9 $60.9
31.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.0 $76.0
$53.6 $53.6
41.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.90 $27.90
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.98 $14.98
$17.80 $17.80
-15.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,326 $1,326
$1,554 $1,554
-14.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.5K $20.5K
$31.4K $31.4K
-34.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.0 $72.0
$67.9 $67.9
6.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.71 $44.71
$50.8 $50.8
-11.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$101 $101
11.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$143 $143
-25.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,383 $2,383
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,712 $1,712
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,955 $2,955
$4,674 $4,674
-36.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,519 $2,519
$2,738 $2,738
-8.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,468 $6,468
$4,158 $4,158
55.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,237 $6,237
$2,691 $2,691
131.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Park City, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,109 $8,109
$4,894 $4,894
65.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.46
6.77
-4.58%

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

Last update for Park City, UT: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Park City, UT
$366
Chicago, IL
$451 23.2% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Park City, UT
$298
Chicago, IL
$321 7.9% $23
Eating Out
Park City, UT
$294
Chicago, IL
$353 20% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Park City, UT
$152
Chicago, IL
$164 7.9% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Park City, UT
$106
Chicago, IL
$89 15.8% $17
Getting Around
Park City, UT
$14 *
Chicago, IL
$95 595% $81
Accommodation & Living
Park City, UT
- *
Chicago, IL
$1.7K

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 66% higher in Park City, UT, 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 $73.0 in Park City, UT versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $451 – making Park City, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Park City, UT
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
02:49 2:49 AM
03:49 3:49 AM
1 h ahead of Park City, UT
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,500
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Park City, UT Chicago, IL 1,990 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Park City, UT
  • 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
Park City, UT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Park City, UT and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,229 in Park City, UT, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 159% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Park City, UT compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,843 per month in Park City, UT and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Park City, UT and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 23% 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.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Park City, UT, where all-in costs run around $1,229, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Park City, UT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Park City, UT and Chicago, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,229 in Park City, UT to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Park City, UT or Chicago, IL safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Park City, UT and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Park City, UT. 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.

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