Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Raleigh, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Raleigh, NC: $2,643 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Raleigh, NC
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Raleigh, NC Living Index
147

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

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Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,643

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,643 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $2,643
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,817 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $3,817
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,991 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $4,991
Chicago, IL $5,999

Raleigh, NC is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Raleigh, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Raleigh, NC by 94%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.90 $21.90

$20.71 $20.71

5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.4 $88.4

$89.2 $89.2

-0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 $11.44

$13.19 $13.19

-13.27%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.66 $5.66

-1.06%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.64 $2.64

7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.28 $2.28

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.87 $6.87

-10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$8.84 $8.84

-21.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.25 $1.25

-29.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.72 $3.72

1.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.39 $5.39

-41.19%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$4.74 $4.74

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 $15.10

$13.84 $13.84

9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$14.40 $14.40

-32.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$18.38 $18.38

-3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$5.22 $5.22

26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.98 $1.98

-36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.06 $4.06

9.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.97 $4.97

15.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.67 $2.67

8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.66 $2.66

35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.24 $2.24

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.13 $3.13

-29.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 $8.64

$13.82 $13.82

-37.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.88 $14.88

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.54 $2.54

-11.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.51 $3.51

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.43 $2.43

-49.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.38 $40.38

$73.5 $73.5

-45.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.18 $3.18

-8.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.39 $1.39

38.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.79 $17.79

$25.03 $25.03

-28.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.04%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.15%

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

$185 $185

$194 $194

-4.65%

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

$56.7 $56.7

$69.5 $69.5

-18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$61.6 $61.6

11.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 $33.01

$47.90 $47.90

-31.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 $5.90

$27.34 $27.34

-78.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$17.81 $17.81

-17.24%

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

$1,317 $1,317

$1,794 $1,794

-26.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-24.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$67.0 $67.0

-9.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 $55.7

$52.1 $52.1

6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$144 $144

10.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 $1,715

$2,526 $2,526

-32.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$1,578 $1,578

-18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 $2,825

$4,738 $4,738

-40.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 $1,915

$2,693 $2,693

-28.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,556 $4,556

$4,190 $4,190

8.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,115 $2,115

$2,768 $2,768

-23.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,605 $4,605

$4,931 $4,931

-6.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

6.81

-2.94%

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

Last update for Raleigh, NC: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Raleigh, NC

$1.3K 48.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 22.3% $288

Groceries & Markets

Raleigh, NC

$411 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.8% $36

Eating Out

Raleigh, NC

$341 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 1.1% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Raleigh, NC

$311 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4.8% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Raleigh, NC

$170 6.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 3.3% $5.6

Sport & Entertainment

Raleigh, NC

$62 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 33.7% $21

Getting Around

Raleigh, NC

$58 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 61.7% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,715 in Raleigh, NC 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 7% 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 $88 in Raleigh, NC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $447 – making Raleigh, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:10 12:10 PM

11:10 11:10 AM

1 h behind Raleigh, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

431,746

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Raleigh, NC Chicago, IL 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Raleigh, NC
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

Raleigh, NC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,643 in Raleigh, NC, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Raleigh, NC comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,964 per month in Raleigh, NC 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 Raleigh, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,715 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Raleigh, NC. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,643 in Raleigh, NC and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Raleigh, NC – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Raleigh, NC. 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.