Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Provo, UT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Provo, UT: $2,265 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

111

Cost of Living Index in Provo, UT
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Provo, UT Living Index
153

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

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Provo, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,265

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,265 per month in Provo, UT vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Provo, UT $2,265
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,353 per month in Provo, UT vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Provo, UT $3,353
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,442 per month in Provo, UT vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Provo, UT $4,442
Chicago, IL $6,077

Provo, UT is about 29% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Provo, UT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Provo, UT by 68%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 $19.09

$21.58 $21.58

-11.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$88.7 $88.7

-8.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$13.20 $13.20

-22.88%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$5.59 $5.59

-5.72%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$2.63 $2.63

-25.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.26 $2.26

-19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$7.11 $7.11

-29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$9.23 $9.23

-14.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.28 $1.28

-23.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.84 $3.84

-13.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$5.07 $5.07

-36.49%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$4.84 $4.84

-17.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 $8.22

$14.17 $14.17

-41.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$14.61 $14.61

-61.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 $11.04

$18.76 $18.76

-41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$5.19 $5.19

-19.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.00 $2.00

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$4.00 $4.00

-30.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$4.98 $4.98

-42.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.79 $2.79

10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.65 $2.65

-26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.13 $2.13

-16.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.09 $3.09

-11.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.29 $10.29

$16.05 $16.05

-35.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.32 $16.32

$15.20 $15.20

7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.62 $2.62

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.46 $3.46

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.47 $2.47

23.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 $85.0

$75.1 $75.1

13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.21 $3.21

6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.04 $13.04

$25.02 $25.02

-47.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.24 $1.24

-17.74%

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

$33.0K $33.0K

$37.2K $37.2K

-11.30%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.32%

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

$129 $129

$192 $192

-32.95%

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

$44.50 $44.50

$67.8 $67.8

-34.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$60.9 $60.9

2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 $22.08

$53.6 $53.6

-58.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.26 $20.26

$27.90 $27.90

-27.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 $11.20

$17.80 $17.80

-37.08%

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

$920 $920

$1,554 $1,554

-40.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.72 $47.72

$67.9 $67.9

-29.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$50.8 $50.8

8.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 $65.4

$101 $101

-35.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 $78.4

$143 $143

-45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 $1,388

$2,383 $2,383

-41.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 $1,152

$1,712 $1,712

-32.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 $1,862

$4,674 $4,674

-60.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 $1,870

$2,738 $2,738

-31.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,395 $2,395

$4,158 $4,158

-42.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,385 $2,385

$2,691 $2,691

-11.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,571 $3,571

$4,894 $4,894

-27.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

6.77

6.20%

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

Last update for Provo, UT: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Provo, UT

$1.2K 50.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 48.6% $560

Groceries & Markets

Provo, UT

$319 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 41.6% $133

Eating Out

Provo, UT

$303 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 16.6% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Provo, UT

$236 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 36.2% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Provo, UT

$111 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 47.3% $53

Getting Around

Provo, UT

$101 * 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 5.5% $5.5

Sport & Entertainment

Provo, UT

$44 2%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 101% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,388 in Provo, UT versus $2,383 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 37% 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 $81.0 in Provo, UT versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $451 – making Provo, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Provo, UT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:55 11:55 PM

00:55 12:55 AM

1 h ahead of Provo, UT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,162

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

Provo, UT Chicago, IL 2,020 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Provo, UT
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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

Provo, UT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,265 in Provo, UT, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,397 per month in Provo, UT and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Provo, UT, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $81.0 in Provo, UT and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Provo, UT, where all-in costs run around $2,265, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Provo, UT 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 $2,265 in Provo, UT to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Provo, 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.