Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ponca City, OK and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Ponca City, OK: $2,470 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in Ponca City, OK
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Ponca City, OK Living Index
152

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

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Ponca City, OK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,470

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,470 per month in Ponca City, OK vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ponca City, OK $2,470
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,571 per month in Ponca City, OK vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ponca City, OK $3,571
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,672 per month in Ponca City, OK vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ponca City, OK $4,672
Chicago, IL $6,115

Ponca City, OK is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ponca City, OK and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Ponca City, OK by 82%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.27 $16.27

$20.65 $20.65

-21.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 $56.0

$90.2 $90.2

-37.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 $9.38

$12.94 $12.94

-27.51%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.60 $5.60

-1.07%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$2.64 $2.64

-18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.27 $2.27

-28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.98 $6.98

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$8.83 $8.83

-21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.27 $1.27

-23.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.80 $3.80

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$5.30 $5.30

13.58%

Eggs

$5.27 $5.27

$4.76 $4.76

10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 $8.03

$13.96 $13.96

-42.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$14.61 $14.61

-42.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$18.77 $18.77

-29.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$5.19 $5.19

-10.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.93 $3.93

-30.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$4.96 $4.96

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.76 $2.76

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.76 $2.76

-9.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.22 $2.22

-31.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.98 $2.98

-34.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.11 $9.11

$14.02 $14.02

-35.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.89 $18.89

$15.28 $15.28

23.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.58 $2.58

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.50 $3.50

26.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.47 $2.47

-9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.34 $3.34

47.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.43 $1.43

34.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.25 $26.25

$24.32 $24.32

7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.26 $1.26

-34.92%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.57%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.46%

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

$178 $178

$193 $193

-7.42%

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

$55.8 $55.8

$68.3 $68.3

-18.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 $59.9

$61.3 $61.3

-2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 $46.97

$54.1 $54.1

-13.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 $10.10

$17.74 $17.74

-43.07%

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

$1,092 $1,092

$1,652 $1,652

-33.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-30.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$66.1 $66.1

-9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.19 $49.19

$51.2 $51.2

-4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$100 $100

10.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$141 $141

-13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 $534

$2,446 $2,446

-78.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$1,678 $1,678

-23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 $822

$4,717 $4,717

-82.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 $2,120

$2,795 $2,795

-24.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 $2,963

$4,105 $4,105

-27.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,413 $2,413

$2,650 $2,650

-8.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,422 $2,422

$4,866 $4,866

-50.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.81

-0.59%

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

Last update for Ponca City, OK: 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

Ponca City, OK

$1.3K 51.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 31% $397

Groceries & Markets

Ponca City, OK

$368 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 22.2% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ponca City, OK

$294 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.6% $28

Eating Out

Ponca City, OK

$283 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 21.3% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Ponca City, OK

$154 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 4.8% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Ponca City, OK

$67 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 33.4% $22

Getting Around

Ponca City, OK

$23 * 1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 306% $72

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Ponca City, OK 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.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Ponca City, OK versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $449 – making Ponca City, OK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ponca City, OK

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:27 8:27 PM

Same time as Ponca City, OK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,387

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Ponca City, OK Chicago, IL 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ponca City, OK
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

Ponca City, OK vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,470 in Ponca City, OK, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,705 per month in Ponca City, OK 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 Ponca City, OK, 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 $56.0 in Ponca City, OK 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 22% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Ponca City, OK, where all-in costs run around $2,470, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Ponca City, OK it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,470 in Ponca City, OK to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ponca City, OK. 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.