Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rock Hill, SC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rock Hill, SC: $2,102 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Rock Hill, SC
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Rock Hill, SC Living Index
146

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

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Rock Hill, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,102

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,102 per month in Rock Hill, SC vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rock Hill, SC $2,102
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,068 per month in Rock Hill, SC vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rock Hill, SC $3,068
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,033 per month in Rock Hill, SC vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rock Hill, SC $4,033
Chicago, IL $6,019

Rock Hill, SC is about 32% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rock Hill, SC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rock Hill, SC by 55%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.54 $22.54

$20.39 $20.39

10.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$88.6 $88.6

-8.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$12.85 $12.85

-21.95%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$5.78 $5.78

-10.03%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$2.74 $2.74

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.26 $2.26

-9.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$6.88 $6.88

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$9.24 $9.24

-36.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.26 $1.26

-40.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.55 $3.55

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$5.38 $5.38

-43.31%

Eggs

$5.59 $5.59

$4.55 $4.55

22.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 $11.03

$13.65 $13.65

-19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.85 $10.85

$14.07 $14.07

-22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$18.06 $18.06

-57.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$5.16 $5.16

-45.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.98 $1.98

-26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.88 $3.88

68.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.83 $4.83

-10.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.81 $2.81

16.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.67 $2.67

21.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.07 $2.07

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.03 $3.03

-33.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 $8.98

$13.90 $13.90

-35.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 $9.82

$15.05 $15.05

-34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.63 $2.63

-36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.45 $3.45

-1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.17 $3.17

14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.70 $1.70

-21.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.28 $15.28

$24.90 $24.90

-38.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.28 $1.28

-29.69%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-14.64%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.13%

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

$148 $148

$192 $192

-23.08%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$69.6 $69.6

-26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 $52.0

$62.2 $62.2

-16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.38 $20.38

$47.79 $47.79

-57.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 $6.81

$27.10 $27.10

-74.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 $12.10

$17.83 $17.83

-32.14%

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

$1,300 $1,300

$1,815 $1,815

-28.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$40.6K $40.6K

-38.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.96 $38.96

$66.2 $66.2

-41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.36 $31.36

$51.4 $51.4

-38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$103 $103

-17.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 $93.7

$143 $143

-34.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 $1,247

$2,531 $2,531

-50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 $1,020

$1,621 $1,621

-37.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$4,828 $4,828

-65.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$2,734 $2,734

-44.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,508 $3,508

$4,924 $4,924

-28.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.78

-1.47%

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

Last update for Rock Hill, SC: November 3, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rock Hill, SC

$1K 48.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 59% $601

Groceries & Markets

Rock Hill, SC

$335 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 31.3% $105

Eating Out

Rock Hill, SC

$330 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 4.3% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rock Hill, SC

$251 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 29.1% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Rock Hill, SC

$112 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 45.6% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Rock Hill, SC

$45 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 87.2% $39

Getting Around

Rock Hill, SC

$10 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 839% $86

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,247 in Rock Hill, SC versus $2,531 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 40% 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 $81 in Rock Hill, SC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $439 – making Rock Hill, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rock Hill, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:01 12:01 PM

11:01 11:01 AM

1 h behind Rock Hill, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,102

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Rock Hill, SC Chicago, IL 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Rock Hill, SC
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

Rock Hill, SC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,102 in Rock Hill, SC, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Rock Hill, SC comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,154 per month in Rock Hill, SC and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rock Hill, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,247 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Rock Hill, SC and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Rock Hill, SC, where all-in costs run around $2,102, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Rock Hill, SC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rock Hill, SC – 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 Rock Hill, SC. 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.