Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Cloud, MN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Cloud, MN: $1,894 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Saint Cloud, MN
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Saint Cloud, MN Living Index
152

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

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Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,894

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,894 per month in Saint Cloud, MN vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Cloud, MN $1,894
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,718 per month in Saint Cloud, MN vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Cloud, MN $2,718
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Saint Cloud, MN vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Cloud, MN $3,543
Chicago, IL $6,115

Saint Cloud, MN is about 40% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Cloud, MN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Saint Cloud, MN by 40%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 $15.19

$20.65 $20.65

-26.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.27 $40.27

$90.2 $90.2

-55.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 $8.63

$12.94 $12.94

-33.31%

Cappuccino

$4.47 $4.47

$5.60 $5.60

-20.18%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.64 $2.64

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.27 $2.27

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$6.98 $6.98

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$8.83 $8.83

-45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 $1.27

-27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 $1.50

$3.80 $3.80

-60.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$5.30 $5.30

-64.15%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$4.76 $4.76

-20.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 $9.54

$13.96 $13.96

-31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$14.61 $14.61

-55.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.42 $19.42

$18.77 $18.77

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$5.19 $5.19

-29.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.98 $1.98

-44.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.93 $3.93

-28.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$4.96 $4.96

-26.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.76 $2.76

-26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.76 $2.76

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.22 $2.22

-10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.98 $2.98

3.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 $11.38

$14.02 $14.02

-18.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$15.28 $15.28

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.58 $2.58

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.50 $3.50

-13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.47 $2.47

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.8 $59.8

$74.8 $74.8

-19.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.34 $3.34

4.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.43 $1.43

-41.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.16 $12.16

$24.32 $24.32

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.26 $1.26

-26.98%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.71%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-9.08%

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

$118 $118

$193 $193

-38.81%

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

$46.72 $46.72

$68.3 $68.3

-31.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.38 $43.38

$61.3 $61.3

-29.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.65 $24.65

$54.1 $54.1

-54.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.09 $28.09

$27.92 $27.92

0.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$17.74 $17.74

-31.34%

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

$1,709 $1,709

$1,652 $1,652

3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,778 $5,778

$31.1K $31.1K

-81.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 $57.4

$66.1 $66.1

-13.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 $50.1

$51.2 $51.2

-2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 $73.4

$100 $100

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$141 $141

-43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 $931

$2,446 $2,446

-61.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 $862

$1,678 $1,678

-48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$4,717 $4,717

-70.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$2,795 $2,795

-53.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 $1,993

$4,105 $4,105

-51.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 $1,745

$2,650 $2,650

-34.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,967 $3,967

$4,866 $4,866

-18.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

6.81

-2.94%

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

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Cloud, MN

$862 45.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 94.7% $816

Groceries & Markets

Saint Cloud, MN

$322 17%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 39.5% $127

Eating Out

Saint Cloud, MN

$262 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 31.2% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Cloud, MN

$208 11%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 54.9% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Cloud, MN

$117 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 37.9% $44

Getting Around

Saint Cloud, MN

$74 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 27.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Cloud, MN

$49 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 82.8% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Saint Cloud, 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 23% 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 $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $449 – making Saint Cloud, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:28 1:28 AM

Same time as Saint Cloud, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,109

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

Saint Cloud, MN Chicago, IL 670 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Cloud, MN
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,841 per month in Saint Cloud, 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 Saint Cloud, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN and $90.0 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 Saint Cloud, MN, where all-in costs run around $1,894, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Saint Cloud, MN 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 $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Cloud, 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.