Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
Learn more

Saint Paul, MN Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,445 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $2,445
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,672 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $3,672
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,900 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN $4,900
Chicago, IL $5,999

Saint Paul, MN is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Paul, MN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Saint Paul, MN by 80%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 $15.66

$20.71 $20.71

-24.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 $67.8

$89.2 $89.2

-23.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$13.19 $13.19

-23.65%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$5.66 $5.66

-11.13%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$2.64 $2.64

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.28 $2.28

13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.87 $6.87

-12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 $7.37

$8.84 $8.84

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.25 $1.25

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.72 $3.72

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$5.39 $5.39

-38.22%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$4.74 $4.74

-37.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$13.84 $13.84

-32.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$14.40 $14.40

-32.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$18.38 $18.38

-28.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.22 $5.22

-7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.98 $1.98

-43.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$4.06 $4.06

44.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$4.97 $4.97

-1.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.67 $2.67

42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.66 $2.66

30.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.24 $2.24

-8.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.13 $3.13

-44.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.68 $12.68

$13.82 $13.82

-8.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 $14.65

$14.88 $14.88

-1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.54 $2.54

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.51 $3.51

-2.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.43 $2.43

-19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$73.5 $73.5

41.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.18 $3.18

-20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 $1.39

9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 $31.02

$25.03 $25.03

23.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.20 $1.20

-14.17%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.68%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.35%

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

$232 $232

$194 $194

19.48%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$69.5 $69.5

-27.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$61.6 $61.6

5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.74 $29.74

$47.90 $47.90

-37.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 $8.50

$27.34 $27.34

-68.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 $13.07

$17.81 $17.81

-26.61%

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

$1,481 $1,481

$1,794 $1,794

-17.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.1K $28.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-12.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.01 $41.01

$67.0 $67.0

-38.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 $40.23

$52.1 $52.1

-22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 $82.1

$102 $102

-19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$144 $144

-23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$2,526 $2,526

-42.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 $1,153

$1,578 $1,578

-26.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$4,738 $4,738

-43.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 $2,132

$2,693 $2,693

-20.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,631 $2,631

$4,190 $4,190

-37.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 $1,949

$2,768 $2,768

-29.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 $4,256

$4,931 $4,931

-13.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.81

-7.34%

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

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Paul, MN

$1.2K 47.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 36.8% $425

Groceries & Markets

Saint Paul, MN

$360 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 24.3% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Paul, MN

$348 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.4% $22

Eating Out

Saint Paul, MN

$283 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 21.7% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Paul, MN

$123 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 33.2% $41

Getting Around

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 23.3% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Paul, MN

$56 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 49.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN 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 16% 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 $68 in Saint Paul, MN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $447 – making Saint Paul, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:04 4:04 AM

Same time as Saint Paul, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

285,068

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

Saint Paul, MN Chicago, IL 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Saint Paul, MN comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,667 per month in Saint Paul, MN 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 Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,444 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Saint Paul, MN and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Paul, MN. 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.