Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, MN: $2,512 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MN
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Rochester, MN Living Index
152

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

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Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,512 per month in Rochester, MN vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rochester, MN $2,512
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,838 per month in Rochester, MN vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rochester, MN $3,838
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,164 per month in Rochester, MN vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rochester, MN $5,164
Chicago, IL $6,115

Rochester, MN is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rochester, MN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rochester, MN by 85%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$20.65 $20.65

-3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$90.2 $90.2

-18.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$12.94 $12.94

-14.53%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$5.60 $5.60

4.11%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.27 $2.27

8.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$6.98 $6.98

-27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 $5.67

$8.83 $8.83

-35.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 $1.27

-32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.80 $3.80

-24.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.30 $5.30

-38.49%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$4.76 $4.76

-23.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 $9.31

$13.96 $13.96

-33.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$14.61 $14.61

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$18.77 $18.77

0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$5.19 $5.19

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.98 $1.98

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.93 $3.93

8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.96 $4.96

-22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.76 $2.76

-21.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.76 $2.76

30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.22 $2.22

22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.98 $2.98

-2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$14.02 $14.02

-29.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$15.28 $15.28

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.58 $2.58

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.50 $3.50

-16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.47 $2.47

-19.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.25 $42.25

$74.8 $74.8

-43.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.34 $3.34

-39.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.43 $1.43

-11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

$24.32 $24.32

-18.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.26 $1.26

-31.75%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.25%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.21%

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

$169 $169

$193 $193

-12.06%

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

$47.11 $47.11

$68.3 $68.3

-30.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.05 $44.05

$61.3 $61.3

-28.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 $53.2

$54.1 $54.1

-1.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.18 $20.18

$27.92 $27.92

-27.72%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 $10.09

$17.74 $17.74

-43.12%

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

$1,352 $1,352

$1,652 $1,652

-18.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

-61.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 $62.4

$66.1 $66.1

-5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 $62.7

$51.2 $51.2

22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$100 $100

-26.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 $86.4

$141 $141

-38.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 $1,645

$2,446 $2,446

-32.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$1,678 $1,678

-23.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 $2,035

$4,717 $4,717

-56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$2,795 $2,795

-14.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,165 $2,165

$4,105 $4,105

-47.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,961 $1,961

$2,650 $2,650

-25.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,617 $4,617

$4,866 $4,866

-5.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rochester, MN

$1.3K 51.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 30.7% $394

Groceries & Markets

Rochester, MN

$386 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 16.4% $63

Eating Out

Rochester, MN

$321 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 7.2% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rochester, MN

$261 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 23.7% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Rochester, MN

$128 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 25.6% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Rochester, MN

$73 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 22.2% $16

Getting Around

Rochester, MN

$59 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 62.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,645 in Rochester, MN 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 5% 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 $74.0 in Rochester, MN versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $449 – making Rochester, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

Same time as Rochester, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,328

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Rochester, MN Chicago, IL 460 km

From you

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rochester, MN vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,512 in Rochester, MN, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,767 per month in Rochester, MN 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 Rochester, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $74.0 in Rochester, MN and $90.0 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 $2,512 in Rochester, MN and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,512 in Rochester, MN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Rochester, MN. 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.