Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sedalia, MO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Sedalia, MO: $2,594 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sedalia, MO, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Sedalia, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,594
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,594 per month in Sedalia, MO vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Sedalia, MO $2,594
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,985 per month in Sedalia, MO vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Sedalia, MO $3,985
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,375 per month in Sedalia, MO vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Sedalia, MO $5,375
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Sedalia, MO is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sedalia, MO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sedalia, MO by 91%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.84 $22.84
$20.71 $20.71
10.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.7 $83.7
$89.2 $89.2
-6.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.06 $13.06
$13.19 $13.19
-0.99%
Cappuccino
$5.02 $5.02
$5.66 $5.66
-11.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.64 $2.64
1.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.28 $2.28
-18.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.40 $6.40
$6.87 $6.87
-6.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.24 $8.24
$8.84 $8.84
-6.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.25 $1.25
-6.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.45 $3.45
$3.72 $3.72
-7.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$5.39 $5.39
-26.53%
Eggs
$4.23 $4.23
$4.74 $4.74
-10.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.91 $13.91
$13.84 $13.84
0.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.21 $12.21
$14.40 $14.40
-15.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.17 $17.17
$18.38 $18.38
-6.58%
Apples (1kg)
$4.88 $4.88
$5.22 $5.22
-6.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.98 $1.98
-11.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.81 $3.81
$4.06 $4.06
-6.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.25 $5.25
$4.97 $4.97
5.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.67 $2.67
4.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.66 $2.66
7.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 $2.28
$2.24 $2.24
1.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$3.13 $3.13
-30.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.55 $8.55
$13.82 $13.82
-38.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.12 $15.12
$14.88 $14.88
1.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.54 $2.54
-20.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 $3.37
$3.51 $3.51
-3.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.20 $2.20
$2.43 $2.43
-9.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.9 $61.9
$73.5 $73.5
-15.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.47 $3.47
$3.18 $3.18
9.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.39 $1.39
23.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.51 $28.51
$25.03 $25.03
13.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.20 $1.20
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$35.0K $35.0K
-28.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K $29.7K
$26.7K $26.7K
11.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 $193
$194 $194
-0.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5 $53.5
$69.5 $69.5
-22.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.9 $75.9
$61.6 $61.6
23.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.30 $43.30
$47.90 $47.90
-9.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$17.81 $17.81
-19.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,471 $1,471
$1,794 $1,794
-18.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.2K $22.2K
$31.9K $31.9K
-30.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.62 $47.62
$67.0 $67.0
-28.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.30 $43.30
$52.1 $52.1
-16.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.6 $97.6
$102 $102
-3.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$144 $144
-20.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 $1,406
$2,526 $2,526
-44.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,227 $1,227
$1,578 $1,578
-22.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,747 $2,747
$4,738 $4,738
-42.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,324 $2,324
$2,693 $2,693
-13.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,764 $2,764
$4,190 $4,190
-34.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,034 $2,034
$2,768 $2,768
-26.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sedalia, MO
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,931 $4,931
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
6.81
-3.52%

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

Last update for Sedalia, MO: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sedalia, MO
$1.2K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 28.7% $351
Groceries & Markets
Sedalia, MO
$406
Chicago, IL
$447 10.2% $41
Eating Out
Sedalia, MO
$349
Chicago, IL
$345 1.1% $3.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sedalia, MO
$322
Chicago, IL
$326 1% $3.3
Clothing & Footwear
Sedalia, MO
$136
Chicago, IL
$164 20.2% $28
Getting Around
Sedalia, MO
$83
Chicago, IL
$93 13% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Sedalia, MO
$72
Chicago, IL
$84 16.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,406 in Sedalia, MO 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Sedalia, MO versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $447 – making Sedalia, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Sedalia, MO
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
11:06 11:06 AM
11:06 11:06 AM
Same time as Sedalia, MO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,387
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sedalia, MO Chicago, IL 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sedalia, 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
Sedalia, MO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sedalia, MO and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,594 in Sedalia, MO, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Sedalia, MO compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,892 per month in Sedalia, MO and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sedalia, MO and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sedalia, MO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,406 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 10% 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Sedalia, MO and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,594 in Sedalia, MO and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Sedalia, MO or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Sedalia, MO – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Sedalia, MO or Chicago, IL?
For expats, Sedalia, MO is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 17% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Sedalia, MO vs other spots: cost of living compared

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