Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shelby, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Shelby, NC: $2,104 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Shelby, NC
Learn more

Shelby, NC Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Shelby, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,104

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,104 per month in Shelby, NC vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shelby, NC $2,104
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,929 per month in Shelby, NC vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shelby, NC $2,929
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,754 per month in Shelby, NC vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shelby, NC $3,754
Chicago, IL $6,115

Shelby, NC is about 33% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Shelby, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Shelby, NC by 55%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 $14.23

$20.65 $20.65

-31.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.86 $34.86

$90.2 $90.2

-61.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 $9.08

$12.94 $12.94

-29.83%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.60 $5.60

-3.93%

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

$1.53 $1.53

$2.64 $2.64

-42.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.27 $2.27

-44.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 $2.57

$6.98 $6.98

-63.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$8.83 $8.83

-66.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.27 $1.27

-36.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.80 $3.80

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.60 $9.60

$5.30 $5.30

81.13%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$4.76 $4.76

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.19 $18.19

$13.96 $13.96

30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$14.61 $14.61

-7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.71 $26.71

$18.77 $18.77

42.30%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$5.19 $5.19

48.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.98 $1.98

51.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$3.93 $3.93

75.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 $7.34

$4.96 $4.96

47.98%

Potato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.76 $2.76

72.10%

Onion (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.76 $2.76

118.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.22 $2.22

28.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.98 $2.98

19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.57 $8.57

$14.02 $14.02

-38.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.28 $15.28

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.58 $2.58

-36.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.50 $3.50

27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.47 $2.47

-14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.34 $3.34

103.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.43 $1.43

64.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 $15.21

$24.32 $24.32

-37.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-30.66%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

-14.32%

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

$175 $175

$193 $193

-9.06%

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

$35.60 $35.60

$68.3 $68.3

-47.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.16 $49.16

$61.3 $61.3

-19.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.26 $45.26

$54.1 $54.1

-16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$17.74 $17.74

-32.19%

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

$294 $294

$1,652 $1,652

-82.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K $10.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-67.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.50 $39.50

$66.1 $66.1

-40.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 $31.85

$51.2 $51.2

-37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 $70.0

$100 $100

-30.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 $79.1

$141 $141

-43.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 $827

$2,446 $2,446

-66.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 $863

$1,678 $1,678

-48.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 $1,234

$4,717 $4,717

-73.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 $1,113

$2,795 $2,795

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,887 $1,887

$4,105 $4,105

-54.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,873 $1,873

$2,650 $2,650

-29.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,497 $2,497

$4,866 $4,866

-48.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.81

-6.31%

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

Last update for Shelby, NC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shelby, NC

$863 41%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 94.3% $814

Groceries & Markets

Shelby, NC

$550 26.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 18.2% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shelby, NC

$260 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 23.9% $62

Eating Out

Shelby, NC

$236 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 45.8% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Shelby, NC

$99 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 62.5% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Shelby, NC

$69 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 29.3% $20

Getting Around

Shelby, NC

$27 * 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 252% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $827 in Shelby, NC 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 95% 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 $35.00 in Shelby, NC versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $550 in Shelby, NC vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Shelby, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

03:10 3:10 AM

1 h behind Shelby, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,378

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

Shelby, NC Chicago, IL 900 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Shelby, NC
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

Shelby, NC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,104 in Shelby, NC, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,156 per month in Shelby, NC 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 Shelby, NC, 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 $35.00 in Shelby, NC and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shelby, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,104, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Shelby, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,104 in Shelby, NC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Shelby, NC. 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.