Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandpoint, ID and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Sandpoint, ID and in Chicago, IL: $3,058 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Sandpoint, ID
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Sandpoint, ID Living Index
147

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

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Sandpoint, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$3,058

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,058 per month in Sandpoint, ID vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sandpoint, ID $3,058
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,193 per month in Sandpoint, ID vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sandpoint, ID $4,193
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,328 per month in Sandpoint, ID vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sandpoint, ID $5,328
Chicago, IL $5,999

Sandpoint, ID and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Sandpoint, ID and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sandpoint, ID by 125%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.11 $14.11

$20.71 $20.71

-31.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$89.2 $89.2

-14.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 $11.02

$13.19 $13.19

-16.45%

Cappuccino

$4.28 $4.28

$5.66 $5.66

-24.38%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$2.64 $2.64

-12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.28 $2.28

-3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$6.87 $6.87

-15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$8.84 $8.84

-32.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.25 $1.25

-24.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.72 $3.72

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.39 $5.39

-18.55%

Eggs

$1.96 $1.96

$4.74 $4.74

-58.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 $16.04

$13.84 $13.84

15.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$14.40 $14.40

-3.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.72 $13.72

$18.38 $18.38

-25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$5.22 $5.22

20.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.98 $1.98

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.06 $4.06

32.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.97 $4.97

16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.67 $2.67

17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.66 $2.66

-19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.24 $2.24

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.13 $3.13

-39.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.82 $13.82

-12.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 $14.05

$14.88 $14.88

-5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.54 $2.54

-26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.51 $3.51

41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.43 $2.43

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$73.5 $73.5

-18.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.18 $3.18

60.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.39 $1.39

23.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.97 $39.97

$25.03 $25.03

59.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.20 $1.20

-16.67%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.88%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.58%

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

$176 $176

$194 $194

-9.53%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$69.5 $69.5

-13.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$61.6 $61.6

18.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.94 $40.94

$47.90 $47.90

-14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 $8.56

$17.81 $17.81

-51.94%

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

$1,392 $1,392

$1,794 $1,794

-22.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-33.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$67.0 $67.0

-22.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 $50.5

$52.1 $52.1

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$102 $102

-0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$144 $144

-4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 $1,896

$2,526 $2,526

-24.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$1,578 $1,578

13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$4,738 $4,738

-43.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,507 $2,507

$2,693 $2,693

-6.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$4,190 $4,190

-35.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 $2,340

$2,768 $2,768

-15.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 $2,099

$4,931 $4,931

-57.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.81

-0.73%

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

Last update for Sandpoint, ID: 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

Sandpoint, ID

$1.8K 58.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 11.8% $211

Groceries & Markets

Sandpoint, ID

$411 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sandpoint, ID

$309 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.4% $17

Eating Out

Sandpoint, ID

$256 8.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 34.5% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Sandpoint, ID

$153 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 7.1% $11

Getting Around

Sandpoint, ID

$81 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 14.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Sandpoint, ID

$58 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 43.8% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,896 in Sandpoint, ID 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 in Chicago, IL are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Sandpoint, ID versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $447 – making Sandpoint, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sandpoint, ID

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:32 1:32 PM

15:32 3:32 PM

2 h ahead of Sandpoint, ID

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sandpoint, ID Chicago, IL 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sandpoint, ID
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

Sandpoint, ID vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,587 per month in Sandpoint, ID 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 Sandpoint, ID, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,896 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Sandpoint, ID and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Sandpoint, ID. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,058 in Sandpoint, ID and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,058 in Sandpoint, ID. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.