Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pueblo, CO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Pueblo, CO: $1,950 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Pueblo, CO
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Pueblo, CO Living Index
152

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

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Pueblo, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,950

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,950 per month in Pueblo, CO vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pueblo, CO $1,950
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,891 per month in Pueblo, CO vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pueblo, CO $2,891
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,833 per month in Pueblo, CO vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pueblo, CO $3,833
Chicago, IL $6,115

Pueblo, CO is about 38% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pueblo, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Pueblo, CO by 44%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.20 $19.20

$20.65 $20.65

-7.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 $52.4

$90.2 $90.2

-41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 $10.94

$12.94 $12.94

-15.46%

Cappuccino

$4.06 $4.06

$5.60 $5.60

-27.50%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.27 $2.27

-24.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.98 $6.98

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.83 $8.83

-20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.27 $1.27

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.80 $3.80

-22.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.30 $5.30

-47.36%

Eggs

$3.24 $3.24

$4.76 $4.76

-31.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.96 $13.96

-19.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 $9.17

$14.61 $14.61

-37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$18.77 $18.77

-29.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.19 $5.19

-19.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.93 $3.93

18.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.96 $4.96

-21.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.76 $2.76

-61.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.76 $2.76

-6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.22 $2.22

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.98 $2.98

-42.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$14.02 $14.02

-27.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.57 $16.57

$15.28 $15.28

8.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.58 $2.58

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.50 $3.50

-24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.21 $35.21

$74.8 $74.8

-52.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.34 $3.34

-26.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.43 $1.43

32.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.66 $24.66

$24.32 $24.32

1.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.26 $1.26

-20.63%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.03%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.25%

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

$212 $212

$193 $193

9.83%

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

$46.93 $46.93

$68.3 $68.3

-31.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$61.3 $61.3

14.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.28 $20.28

$54.1 $54.1

-62.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 $12.12

$17.74 $17.74

-31.68%

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

$1,321 $1,321

$1,652 $1,652

-20.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-60.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$66.1 $66.1

-8.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 $68.5

$51.2 $51.2

33.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$100 $100

-20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$141 $141

-18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 $900

$2,446 $2,446

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 $746

$1,678 $1,678

-55.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 $1,323

$4,717 $4,717

-71.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,795 $2,795

-52.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,141 $2,141

$4,105 $4,105

-47.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,924 $1,924

$2,650 $2,650

-27.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,628 $3,628

$4,866 $4,866

-25.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.81

-2.20%

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

Last update for Pueblo, CO: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pueblo, CO

$746 38.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 125% $932

Groceries & Markets

Pueblo, CO

$336 17.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 33.8% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pueblo, CO

$329 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 2% $6.5

Eating Out

Pueblo, CO

$302 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 13.9% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Pueblo, CO

$146 7.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 10.7% $16

Getting Around

Pueblo, CO

$47 * 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 102% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Pueblo, CO

$45 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 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 $900 in Pueblo, CO 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 34% 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 $52.0 in Pueblo, CO versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $449 – making Pueblo, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pueblo, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:24 7:24 PM

20:24 8:24 PM

1 h ahead of Pueblo, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,412

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

Pueblo, CO Chicago, IL 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Pueblo, CO
Chicago, IL

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Pueblo, CO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,950 in Pueblo, CO, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 61% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in Pueblo, CO 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 Pueblo, CO, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $52.0 in Pueblo, CO and $90.0 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 Pueblo, CO, where all-in costs run around $1,950, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Pueblo, CO 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 $1,950 in Pueblo, CO to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pueblo, CO. 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.