Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shreveport, LA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Shreveport, LA: $2,186 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Shreveport, LA
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Shreveport, LA Living Index
147

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

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Shreveport, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,186

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Shreveport, LA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shreveport, LA $2,186
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,970 per month in Shreveport, LA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shreveport, LA $2,970
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,755 per month in Shreveport, LA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shreveport, LA $3,755
Chicago, IL $5,999

Shreveport, LA is about 28% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shreveport, LA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Shreveport, LA by 61%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 $15.98

$20.71 $20.71

-22.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.38 $49.38

$89.2 $89.2

-44.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 $10.88

$13.19 $13.19

-17.51%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$5.66 $5.66

-9.19%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.64 $2.64

-5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.28 $2.28

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 $5.47

$6.87 $6.87

-20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$8.84 $8.84

-33.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.25 $1.25

-11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.72 $3.72

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$5.39 $5.39

-50.28%

Eggs

$3.41 $3.41

$4.74 $4.74

-28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$13.84 $13.84

-30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$14.40 $14.40

-18.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.18 $22.18

$18.38 $18.38

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$5.22 $5.22

-18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.98 $1.98

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.06 $4.06

-26.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$4.97 $4.97

-35.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.67 $2.67

-17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.66 $2.66

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.24 $2.24

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$3.13 $3.13

-56.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 $9.06

$13.82 $13.82

-34.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$14.88 $14.88

-19.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.54 $2.54

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.51 $3.51

-52.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.18 $3.18

-22.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 $1.39

9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.63 $23.63

$25.03 $25.03

-5.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.20 $1.20

-25.83%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.95%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.08%

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

$216 $216

$194 $194

10.91%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$69.5 $69.5

-14.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$61.6 $61.6

10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.44 $26.44

$47.90 $47.90

-44.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 $13.02

$17.81 $17.81

-26.90%

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

$1,019 $1,019

$1,794 $1,794

-43.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K $19.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$67.0 $67.0

-22.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 $38.93

$52.1 $52.1

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 $83.5

$102 $102

-17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$144 $144

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 $1,083

$2,526 $2,526

-57.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$1,578 $1,578

-36.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$4,738 $4,738

-65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 $1,285

$2,693 $2,693

-52.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,468 $1,468

$4,190 $4,190

-64.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 $1,213

$2,768 $2,768

-56.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,520 $3,520

$4,931 $4,931

-28.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

6.81

-9.99%

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

Last update for Shreveport, LA: 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

Shreveport, LA

$1K 46.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 56.8% $572

Groceries & Markets

Shreveport, LA

$346 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 29.3% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shreveport, LA

$343 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.1% $18

Eating Out

Shreveport, LA

$280 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 23% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Shreveport, LA

$147 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 11.4% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Shreveport, LA

$52 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 59.1% $31

Getting Around

Shreveport, LA

$10 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 828% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,083 in Shreveport, LA 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 40% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Shreveport, LA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $447 – making Shreveport, LA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Shreveport, LA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

Same time as Shreveport, LA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

187,593

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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Between locations

Shreveport, LA Chicago, IL 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Shreveport, LA
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

Shreveport, LA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,186 in Shreveport, LA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Shreveport, LA comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,279 per month in Shreveport, LA 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 Shreveport, LA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,083 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Shreveport, LA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Shreveport, LA, where all-in costs run around $2,186, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Shreveport, LA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shreveport, LA – 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 Shreveport, LA. 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.