Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapid City, SD and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rapid City, SD: $2,431 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Rapid City, SD
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Rapid City, SD Living Index
147

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

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Rapid City, SD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,431

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,431 per month in Rapid City, SD vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rapid City, SD $2,431
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Rapid City, SD vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rapid City, SD $3,376
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,320 per month in Rapid City, SD vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rapid City, SD $4,320
Chicago, IL $5,999

Rapid City, SD is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rapid City, SD and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rapid City, SD by 79%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 $17.22

$20.71 $20.71

-16.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 $61.6

$89.2 $89.2

-31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 $10.88

$13.19 $13.19

-17.51%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.64 $2.64

-11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.28 $2.28

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.87 $6.87

-41.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 $5.43

$8.84 $8.84

-38.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.25 $1.25

-14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.72 $3.72

-16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$5.39 $5.39

-64.01%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$4.74 $4.74

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$13.84 $13.84

-3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 $8.16

$14.40 $14.40

-43.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$18.38 $18.38

-31.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$5.22 $5.22

-32.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.98 $1.98

-34.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.06 $4.06

-35.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$4.97 $4.97

-24.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.67 $2.67

-29.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.66 $2.66

-1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.24 $2.24

-6.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.13 $3.13

-5.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.78 $9.78

$13.82 $13.82

-29.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 $13.94

$14.88 $14.88

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.54 $2.54

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.51 $3.51

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.43 $2.43

-39.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.31 $30.31

$73.5 $73.5

-58.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.18 $3.18

-6.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.39 $1.39

-12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.35 $25.35

$25.03 $25.03

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.20 $1.20

-27.50%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

0.95%

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

$31.7K $31.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

18.91%

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

$194 $194

-0.34%

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

$46.70 $46.70

$69.5 $69.5

-32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$61.6 $61.6

-1.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 $50.9

$47.90 $47.90

6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 $14.83

$27.34 $27.34

-45.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 $11.79

$17.81 $17.81

-33.80%

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

$767 $767

$1,794 $1,794

-57.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 $62.6

$67.0 $67.0

-6.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 $75.4

$52.1 $52.1

44.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 $77.6

$102 $102

-23.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$144 $144

-22.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 $973

$2,526 $2,526

-61.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 $1,237

$1,578 $1,578

-21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 $1,751

$4,738 $4,738

-63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 $1,729

$2,693 $2,693

-35.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 $2,637

$4,190 $4,190

-37.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,608 $2,608

$2,768 $2,768

-5.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,923 $3,923

$4,931 $4,931

-20.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.81

-5.43%

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

Last update for Rapid City, SD: 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

Rapid City, SD

$1.2K 50.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 27.6% $341

Groceries & Markets

Rapid City, SD

$341 14%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 31.1% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rapid City, SD

$301 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.2% $25

Eating Out

Rapid City, SD

$285 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 20.8% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Rapid City, SD

$147 6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 11.6% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Rapid City, SD

$74 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 12.2% $9.1

Getting Around

Rapid City, SD

$45 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 107% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Rapid City, SD 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 26% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Rapid City, SD versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $447 – making Rapid City, SD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rapid City, SD

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:24 8:24 AM

09:24 9:24 AM

1 h ahead of Rapid City, SD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,703

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Rapid City, SD Chicago, IL 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Rapid City, SD
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

Rapid City, SD vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,431 in Rapid City, SD, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,646 per month in Rapid City, SD 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 Rapid City, SD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $973 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $62 in Rapid City, SD and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,431 in Rapid City, SD 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 Rapid City, SD – 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 Rapid City, SD. 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.