Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rocky Mount, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rocky Mount, NC: $2,059 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Rocky Mount, NC
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Rocky Mount, NC Living Index
152

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

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Rocky Mount, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,059

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Rocky Mount, NC vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rocky Mount, NC $2,059
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,178 per month in Rocky Mount, NC vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rocky Mount, NC $3,178
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Rocky Mount, NC vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rocky Mount, NC $4,296
Chicago, IL $6,115

Rocky Mount, NC is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rocky Mount, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rocky Mount, NC by 52%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 $18.19

$20.65 $20.65

-11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 $70.4

$90.2 $90.2

-21.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.94 $12.94

-5.95%

Cappuccino

$4.82 $4.82

$5.60 $5.60

-13.93%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$2.64 $2.64

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.27 $2.27

-27.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.98 $6.98

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 $7.00

$8.83 $8.83

-20.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.27 $1.27

-31.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.80 $3.80

-2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$5.30 $5.30

-39.25%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$4.76 $4.76

-22.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 $13.06

$13.96 $13.96

-6.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 $8.83

$14.61 $14.61

-39.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 $17.05

$18.77 $18.77

-9.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.19 $5.19

-22.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.98 $1.98

15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.93 $3.93

2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.96 $4.96

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.76 $2.76

-13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.76 $2.76

15.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.22 $2.22

-18.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.98 $2.98

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 $8.78

$14.02 $14.02

-37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$15.28 $15.28

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.58 $2.58

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.50 $3.50

-16.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.47 $2.47

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.34 $3.34

-41.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.43 $1.43

58.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.88 $17.88

$24.32 $24.32

-26.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.26 $1.26

-19.05%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.52%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.42%

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

$179 $179

$193 $193

-7.14%

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

$70.9 $70.9

$68.3 $68.3

3.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$61.3 $61.3

3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.02 $46.02

$54.1 $54.1

-14.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.02 $14.02

$17.74 $17.74

-20.97%

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

$787 $787

$1,652 $1,652

-52.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-20.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$66.1 $66.1

-23.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.66 $37.66

$51.2 $51.2

-26.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 $70.5

$100 $100

-29.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$141 $141

-18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 $975

$2,446 $2,446

-60.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 $856

$1,678 $1,678

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 $1,435

$4,717 $4,717

-69.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$2,795 $2,795

-41.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,693 $1,693

$4,105 $4,105

-58.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 $1,704

$2,650 $2,650

-35.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,834 $2,834

$4,866 $4,866

-41.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

6.81

-7.20%

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

Last update for Rocky Mount, NC: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rocky Mount, NC

$856 41.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 96.1% $822

Groceries & Markets

Rocky Mount, NC

$371 18%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 21.1% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rocky Mount, NC

$313 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 2.8% $8.8

Eating Out

Rocky Mount, NC

$300 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 14.6% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Rocky Mount, NC

$123 6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 31% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Rocky Mount, NC

$74 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 21% $16

Getting Around

Rocky Mount, NC

$22 * 1.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 331% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in Rocky Mount, NC 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 72% 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 $70.0 in Rocky Mount, NC versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $449 – making Rocky Mount, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rocky Mount, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:34 10:34 PM

21:34 9:34 PM

1 h behind Rocky Mount, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,968

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rocky Mount, NC Chicago, IL 1,080 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Rocky Mount, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,059 in Rocky Mount, NC, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 52% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Rocky Mount, NC 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 Rocky Mount, NC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Rocky Mount, NC and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Rocky Mount, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Rocky Mount, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,059 in Rocky Mount, NC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Rocky Mount, NC. 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.