Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reno, NV and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Reno, NV: $2,939 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

141

Cost of Living Index in Reno, NV
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Reno, NV Living Index
147

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

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Reno, NV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,939

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,939 per month in Reno, NV vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Reno, NV $2,939
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,216 per month in Reno, NV vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Reno, NV $4,216
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,494 per month in Reno, NV vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Reno, NV $5,494
Chicago, IL $5,999

Reno, NV is about 3% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Reno, NV and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Reno, NV by 116%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.27 $26.27

$20.71 $20.71

26.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$89.2 $89.2

-3.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 $12.81

$13.19 $13.19

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$5.66 $5.66

-5.65%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 $2.64

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.28 $2.28

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 $7.23

$6.87 $6.87

5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 $7.56

$8.84 $8.84

-14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.25 $1.25

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.72 $3.72

6.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$5.39 $5.39

-27.83%

Eggs

$5.25 $5.25

$4.74 $4.74

10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 $11.74

$13.84 $13.84

-15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.00 $16.00

$14.40 $14.40

11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.46 $23.46

$18.38 $18.38

27.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.22 $5.22

-14.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$4.06 $4.06

-25.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$4.97 $4.97

39.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.67 $2.67

14.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.66 $2.66

40.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.24 $2.24

21.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.13 $3.13

-27.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.51 $10.51

$13.82 $13.82

-23.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 $12.44

$14.88 $14.88

-16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.54 $2.54

-22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.51 $3.51

2.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.43 $2.43

-16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 $64.2

$73.5 $73.5

-12.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.18 $3.18

19.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.39 $1.39

86.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 $32.64

$25.03 $25.03

30.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.20 $1.20

6.67%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.11%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.53%

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

$177 $177

$194 $194

-8.94%

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

$95.4 $95.4

$69.5 $69.5

37.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.5 $89.5

$61.6 $61.6

45.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.43 $32.43

$47.90 $47.90

-32.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 $15.91

$27.34 $27.34

-41.81%

Cinema Ticket

$14.33 $14.33

$17.81 $17.81

-19.54%

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

$1,300 $1,300

$1,794 $1,794

-27.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.8K $27.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-12.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 $54.2

$67.0 $67.0

-19.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.80 $32.80

$52.1 $52.1

-37.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 $74.7

$102 $102

-26.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$2,526 $2,526

-27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$1,578 $1,578

-7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,811 $2,811

$4,738 $4,738

-40.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 $2,153

$2,693 $2,693

-20.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,519 $3,519

$4,190 $4,190

-16.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,606 $3,606

$2,768 $2,768

30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,363 $4,363

$4,931 $4,931

-11.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.81

0.15%

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

Last update for Reno, NV: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reno, NV

$1.5K 49.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 8.1% $119

Groceries & Markets

Reno, NV

$448 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 0.1% $0.6

Eating Out

Reno, NV

$383 13%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.8% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reno, NV

$362 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 10.1% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Reno, NV

$138 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 19.1% $26

Getting Around

Reno, NV

$89 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 4.8% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Reno, NV

$61 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 36.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,829 in Reno, NV 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Reno, NV versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $448 in Reno, NV vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Reno, NV

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:58 12:58 PM

14:58 2:58 PM

2 h ahead of Reno, NV

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

271,953

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Reno, NV Chicago, IL 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Reno, NV
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

Reno, NV vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,939 in Reno, NV, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Reno, NV comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,409 per month in Reno, NV 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 Reno, NV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,829 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Reno, NV and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Reno, NV. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,939 in Reno, NV 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 Reno, NV – 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 Reno, NV. 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.