Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix, AZ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix, AZ: $2,815 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Phoenix, AZ
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Phoenix, AZ Living Index
147

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

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Phoenix, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,815

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,815 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ $2,815
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,082 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ $4,082
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,348 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ $5,348
Chicago, IL $5,999

Phoenix, AZ is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phoenix, AZ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Phoenix, AZ by 107%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$20.71 $20.71

-4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$89.2 $89.2

-3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.23 $14.23

$13.19 $13.19

7.88%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.66 $5.66

7.24%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$2.64 $2.64

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.28 $2.28

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.87 $6.87

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.84 $8.84

-11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.25 $1.25

-37.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.72 $3.72

6.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$5.39 $5.39

14.66%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$4.74 $4.74

-7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$13.84 $13.84

1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 $12.89

$14.40 $14.40

-10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 $14.68

$18.38 $18.38

-20.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$5.22 $5.22

4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.98 $1.98

-4.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.06 $4.06

5.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.97 $4.97

19.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.67 $2.67

37.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.66 $2.66

18.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.24 $2.24

0.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.13 $3.13

-15.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 $11.17

$13.82 $13.82

-19.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 $14.12

$14.88 $14.88

-5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.54 $2.54

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.51 $3.51

-15.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 $62.7

$73.5 $73.5

-14.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.18 $3.18

-11.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.39 $1.39

2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.63 $36.63

$25.03 $25.03

46.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.20 $1.20

-0.83%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

4.68%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.09%

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

$233 $233

$194 $194

20.00%

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

$77.7 $77.7

$69.5 $69.5

11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 $75.3

$61.6 $61.6

22.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 $56.5

$47.90 $47.90

18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.46 $19.46

$27.34 $27.34

-28.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 $13.71

$17.81 $17.81

-23.02%

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

$1,644 $1,644

$1,794 $1,794

-8.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-27.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 $60.2

$67.0 $67.0

-10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 $46.42

$52.1 $52.1

-10.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$144 $144

-11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$2,526 $2,526

-30.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$1,578 $1,578

-15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,082 $3,082

$4,738 $4,738

-34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,097 $2,097

$2,693 $2,693

-22.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,507 $4,507

$4,190 $4,190

7.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,990 $2,990

$2,768 $2,768

8.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,196 $4,196

$4,931 $4,931

-14.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for Phoenix, AZ: 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

Phoenix, AZ

$1.3K 47.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 17.7% $238

Groceries & Markets

Phoenix, AZ

$430 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phoenix, AZ

$386 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 15.7% $61

Eating Out

Phoenix, AZ

$342 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 0.9% $3.1

Clothing & Footwear

Phoenix, AZ

$152 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Phoenix, AZ

$84 3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 0.5% $0.5

Getting Around

Phoenix, AZ

$81 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 15.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,755 in Phoenix, AZ 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 18% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87 in Phoenix, AZ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $430 vs $447 – making Phoenix, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Phoenix, AZ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:31 4:31 PM

17:31 5:31 PM

1 h ahead of Phoenix, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,608,139

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Phoenix, AZ Chicago, IL 2,340 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Phoenix, AZ
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

Phoenix, AZ vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,815 in Phoenix, AZ, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Phoenix, AZ comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,223 per month in Phoenix, AZ 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 Phoenix, AZ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,755 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Phoenix, AZ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,815 in Phoenix, AZ 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 $2,815 in Phoenix, AZ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Phoenix, AZ. 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.