Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rutland, VT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rutland, VT: $2,352 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Rutland, VT
Learn more

Rutland, VT Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Rutland, VT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,352

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,352 per month in Rutland, VT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rutland, VT $2,352
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,163 per month in Rutland, VT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rutland, VT $4,163
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,974 per month in Rutland, VT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rutland, VT $5,974
Chicago, IL $5,999

Rutland, VT is about 23% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rutland, VT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rutland, VT by 73%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.95 $19.95

$20.71 $20.71

-3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$89.2 $89.2

10.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.74 $14.74

$13.19 $13.19

11.75%

Cappuccino

$3.99 $3.99

$5.66 $5.66

-29.51%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.64 $2.64

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.28 $2.28

-55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$6.87 $6.87

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.34 $10.34

$8.84 $8.84

16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.25 $1.25

-34.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.72 $3.72

-40.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$5.39 $5.39

24.86%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$4.74 $4.74

-14.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$13.84 $13.84

-51.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$14.40 $14.40

-7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$18.38 $18.38

0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.22 $5.22

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.98 $1.98

-30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.06 $4.06

8.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.97 $4.97

-11.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.67 $2.67

23.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.66 $2.66

-18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.24 $2.24

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.13 $3.13

-36.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.92 $8.92

$13.82 $13.82

-35.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 $8.81

$14.88 $14.88

-40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.54 $2.54

-18.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.51 $3.51

12.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.43 $2.43

-6.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 $56.6

$73.5 $73.5

-23.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.18 $3.18

49.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.39 $1.39

-1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 $15.13

$25.03 $25.03

-39.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.20 $1.20

-6.67%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.55%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-16.88%

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

$209 $209

$194 $194

7.56%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$69.5 $69.5

0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.0 $89.0

$61.6 $61.6

44.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 $37.91

$47.90 $47.90

-20.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$17.81 $17.81

-15.27%

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

$1,517 $1,517

$1,794 $1,794

-15.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K $17.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-46.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$67.0 $67.0

-17.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 $39.11

$52.1 $52.1

-24.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$102 $102

10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$144 $144

-26.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 $1,240

$2,526 $2,526

-50.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 $1,011

$1,578 $1,578

-35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,601 $2,601

$4,738 $4,738

-45.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 $2,944

$2,693 $2,693

9.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 $2,577

$4,190 $4,190

-38.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,230 $2,230

$2,768 $2,768

-19.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,927 $3,927

$4,931 $4,931

-20.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.81

-2.20%

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

Last update for Rutland, VT: 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

Rutland, VT

$1K 43%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 56.1% $567

Groceries & Markets

Rutland, VT

$371 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 20.7% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rutland, VT

$368 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 11.5% $42

Eating Out

Rutland, VT

$317 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 8.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Rutland, VT

$140 6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 16.8% $24

Getting Around

Rutland, VT

$77 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 20.8% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Rutland, VT

$68 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 22.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Rutland, VT 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 26% 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 $99 in Rutland, VT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Rutland, VT vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Rutland, VT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rutland, VT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:07 8:07 PM

19:07 7:07 PM

1 h behind Rutland, VT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,074

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rutland, VT Chicago, IL 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Rutland, VT
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

Rutland, VT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,352 in Rutland, VT, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Rutland, VT comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,528 per month in Rutland, VT 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 Rutland, VT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,240 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Rutland, VT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Rutland, VT – 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 Rutland, VT. 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.