Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolla, MO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rolla, MO: $2,476 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Rolla, MO
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Rolla, MO Living Index
147

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

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Rolla, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,476

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Rolla, MO vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rolla, MO $2,476
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,812 per month in Rolla, MO vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rolla, MO $2,812
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,147 per month in Rolla, MO vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rolla, MO $3,147
Chicago, IL $5,999

Rolla, MO is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rolla, MO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rolla, MO by 82%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.98 $11.98

$20.71 $20.71

-42.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 $35.43

$89.2 $89.2

-60.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 $8.75

$13.19 $13.19

-33.66%

Cappuccino

$4.11 $4.11

$5.66 $5.66

-27.39%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$2.64 $2.64

-26.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.28 $2.28

-43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 $2.99

$6.87 $6.87

-56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$8.84 $8.84

-55.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.25 $1.25

-23.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.72 $3.72

-7.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$5.39 $5.39

-59.00%

Eggs

$1.44 $1.44

$4.74 $4.74

-69.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$13.84 $13.84

-19.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$14.40 $14.40

-37.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 $7.94

$18.38 $18.38

-56.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.22 $5.22

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.98 $1.98

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$4.06 $4.06

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.97 $4.97

-12.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.67 $2.67

-37.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.66 $2.66

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.24 $2.24

-20.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.13 $3.13

-36.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 $5.09

$13.82 $13.82

-63.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$14.88 $14.88

-66.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.54 $2.54

-27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.51 $3.51

23.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.43 $2.43

-12.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$73.5 $73.5

-18.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.18 $3.18

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.39 $1.39

0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.34 $36.34

$25.03 $25.03

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.20 $1.20

-30.00%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-18.75%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.04%

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

$277 $277

$194 $194

42.26%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$69.5 $69.5

-15.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$61.6 $61.6

15.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 $40.72

$47.90 $47.90

-14.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 $9.94

$27.34 $27.34

-63.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.94 $9.94

$17.81 $17.81

-44.19%

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

$751 $751

$1,794 $1,794

-58.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.8K $26.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-16.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 $71.7

$67.0 $67.0

7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 $36.81

$52.1 $52.1

-29.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$102 $102

-21.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$144 $144

-11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 $1,539

$2,526 $2,526

-39.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$1,578 $1,578

-18.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 $1,083

$4,738 $4,738

-77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 $810

$2,693 $2,693

-69.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,159 $3,159

$4,190 $4,190

-24.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 $2,089

$2,768 $2,768

-24.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,438 $4,438

$4,931 $4,931

-10.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.81

-6.61%

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

Last update for Rolla, MO: 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

Rolla, MO

$1.3K 52%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 22.4% $289

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rolla, MO

$407 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 20% $82

Groceries & Markets

Rolla, MO

$292 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 53% $155

Eating Out

Rolla, MO

$207 8.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 66.6% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Rolla, MO

$142 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 15.7% $22

Getting Around

Rolla, MO

$79 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 18.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Rolla, MO

$61 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 37.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,539 in Rolla, MO 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 11% 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 $35 in Rolla, MO versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $447 – making Rolla, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rolla, MO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:58 12:58 PM

Same time as Rolla, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,943

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rolla, MO Chicago, IL 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Rolla, MO
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

Rolla, MO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,476 in Rolla, MO, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,715 per month in Rolla, MO 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 Rolla, MO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,539 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $35 in Rolla, MO and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Rolla, MO, where all-in costs run around $2,476, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Rolla, MO it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rolla, MO – 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 Rolla, MO. 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.