Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, OR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem, OR: $2,688 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Salem, OR
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Salem, OR Living Index
147

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

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Salem, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,688

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Salem, OR vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Salem, OR $2,688
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,891 per month in Salem, OR vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Salem, OR $3,891
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,095 per month in Salem, OR vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Salem, OR $5,095
Chicago, IL $5,999

Salem, OR is about 11% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Salem, OR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Salem, OR by 97%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 $20.36

$20.71 $20.71

-1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.7 $96.7

$89.2 $89.2

8.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.01 $12.01

$13.19 $13.19

-8.95%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$5.66 $5.66

-19.79%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.64 $2.64

-5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.28 $2.28

-8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$6.87 $6.87

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$8.84 $8.84

-22.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.25 $1.25

-11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.72 $3.72

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.39 $5.39

-22.08%

Eggs

$5.05 $5.05

$4.74 $4.74

6.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$13.84 $13.84

5.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$14.40 $14.40

-2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.88 $17.88

$18.38 $18.38

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.22 $5.22

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.06 $4.06

-4.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.97 $4.97

-19.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.67 $2.67

16.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.66 $2.66

25.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.24 $2.24

-18.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.13 $3.13

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 $11.42

$13.82 $13.82

-17.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$14.88 $14.88

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.54 $2.54

-36.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.51 $3.51

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.43 $2.43

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.81 $45.81

$73.5 $73.5

-37.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.18 $3.18

12.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.39 $1.39

52.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.12 $49.12

$25.03 $25.03

96.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.20 $1.20

4.17%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-27.92%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-7.82%

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

$214 $214

$194 $194

10.02%

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

$59.6 $59.6

$69.5 $69.5

-14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.1 $99.1

$61.6 $61.6

60.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.33 $39.33

$47.90 $47.90

-17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$17.81 $17.81

-14.94%

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

$1,082 $1,082

$1,794 $1,794

-39.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K $16.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-47.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$67.0 $67.0

-16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.92 $46.92

$52.1 $52.1

-10.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 $84.1

$102 $102

-17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 $79.0

$144 $144

-45.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 $1,472

$2,526 $2,526

-41.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$1,578 $1,578

-15.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 $2,547

$4,738 $4,738

-46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 $2,043

$2,693 $2,693

-24.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$4,190 $4,190

-23.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,945 $2,945

$2,768 $2,768

6.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,823 $3,823

$4,931 $4,931

-22.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Salem, OR: 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

Salem, OR

$1.3K 49.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 18.5% $246

Groceries & Markets

Salem, OR

$417 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 7.2% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, OR

$373 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 12.7% $47

Eating Out

Salem, OR

$310 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.4% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, OR

$120 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 37% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, OR

$70 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 19.9% $14

Getting Around

Salem, OR

$66 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 40.5% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,472 in Salem, OR 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 29% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Salem, OR versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $417 in Salem, OR vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Salem, OR wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, OR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

15:30 3:30 PM

2 h ahead of Salem, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Salem, OR Chicago, IL 2,860 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem, OR
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

Salem, OR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,688 in Salem, OR, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Salem, OR comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,032 per month in Salem, OR 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 Salem, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,472 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Salem, OR and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,688 in Salem, OR and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Salem, OR – 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 Salem, OR. 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.