Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO: $2,485 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Saint Joseph, MO
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Saint Joseph, MO Living Index
152

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

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Saint Joseph, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,485

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,485 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MO $2,485
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,629 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MO $3,629
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,773 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MO $4,773
Chicago, IL $6,115

Saint Joseph, MO is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Saint Joseph, MO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Saint Joseph, MO by 83%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 $20.25

$20.65 $20.65

-1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$90.2 $90.2

-44.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$12.94 $12.94

-16.62%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$5.60 $5.60

-9.11%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$2.64 $2.64

-18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.27 $2.27

-51.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$6.98 $6.98

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 $7.61

$8.83 $8.83

-13.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 $1.27

-29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.80 $3.80

-14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$5.30 $5.30

15.09%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$4.76 $4.76

-1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$13.96 $13.96

-16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$14.61 $14.61

-42.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$18.77 $18.77

-21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.19 $5.19

34.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.98 $1.98

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.93 $3.93

47.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.96 $4.96

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.76 $2.76

23.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.76 $2.76

35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.22 $2.22

-13.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.98 $2.98

-15.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$14.02 $14.02

-37.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.28 $17.28

$15.28 $15.28

13.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.58 $2.58

-27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.50 $3.50

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.47 $2.47

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.34 $3.34

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.43 $1.43

26.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.53 $35.53

$24.32 $24.32

46.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.26 $1.26

-17.46%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.95%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.25%

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

$147 $147

$193 $193

-23.74%

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

$47.87 $47.87

$68.3 $68.3

-29.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$61.3 $61.3

7.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.97 $40.97

$54.1 $54.1

-24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$17.74 $17.74

-13.81%

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

$812 $812

$1,652 $1,652

-50.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K $20.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-32.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.92 $47.92

$66.1 $66.1

-27.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 $34.63

$51.2 $51.2

-32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$100 $100

-10.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$141 $141

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$2,446 $2,446

-33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$1,678 $1,678

-23.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$4,717 $4,717

-47.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 $2,185

$2,795 $2,795

-21.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 $1,569

$4,105 $4,105

-61.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,566 $1,566

$2,650 $2,650

-40.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 $2,880

$4,866 $4,866

-40.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.81

-6.46%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MO: 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 Joseph, MO

$1.3K 51.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 30.1% $388

Groceries & Markets

Saint Joseph, MO

$403 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 11.5% $46

Eating Out

Saint Joseph, MO

$308 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 11.4% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Joseph, MO

$261 10.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 23.5% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Joseph, MO

$130 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 24.5% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Joseph, MO

$72 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 25.2% $18

Getting Around

Saint Joseph, MO

$22 * 0.9%

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 $1,616 in Saint Joseph, MO 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 69% 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 $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $449 – making Saint Joseph, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

Same time as Saint Joseph, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,780

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 Joseph, MO Chicago, IL 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Joseph, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,727 per month in Saint Joseph, MO 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 Joseph, MO, 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 $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO 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 12% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Joseph, 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.