Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sparks, NV, United States and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Sparks, NV, United States: $2,478 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

119

Cost of Living Index in Sparks, NV, United States
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Sparks, NV, United States Living Index
146

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

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Sparks, NV, United States

🇺🇸 United States

$2,478

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sparks, NV, United States 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 Sparks, NV, United States and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,478 per month in Sparks, NV, United States vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sparks, NV, United States $2,478
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,761 per month in Sparks, NV, United States vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sparks, NV, United States $3,761
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,044 per month in Sparks, NV, United States vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sparks, NV, United States $5,044
Chicago, IL $6,019

Sparks, NV, United States is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sparks, NV, United States and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sparks, NV, United States by 83%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.05 $24.05

$20.39 $20.39

17.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 $66.3

$88.6 $88.6

-25.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 $11.63

$12.85 $12.85

-9.49%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$5.78 $5.78

-8.65%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.74 $2.74

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 $5.77

$6.88 $6.88

-16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 $6.72

$9.24 $9.24

-27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.26 $1.26

-19.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.55 $3.55

0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$5.38 $5.38

-21.00%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$4.55 $4.55

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

$13.65 $13.65

-9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 $11.43

$14.07 $14.07

-18.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 $17.19

$18.06 $18.06

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.16 $5.16

-4.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.88 $3.88

12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$4.83 $4.83

-0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.81 $2.81

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.67 $2.67

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.07 $2.07

0.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.03 $3.03

-26.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 $9.99

$13.90 $13.90

-28.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$15.05 $15.05

1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.63 $2.63

-26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.45 $3.45

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.43 $2.43

-16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$75.3 $75.3

-21.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.17 $3.17

-5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.59 $29.59

$24.90 $24.90

18.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.28 $1.28

-23.44%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-17.48%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

0.57%

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

$199 $199

$192 $192

3.84%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$69.6 $69.6

8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 $53.1

$62.2 $62.2

-14.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 $39.62

$47.79 $47.79

-17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$17.83 $17.83

-21.76%

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

$1,341 $1,341

$1,815 $1,815

-26.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K $20.3K

$40.6K $40.6K

-50.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$66.2 $66.2

-20.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 $46.97

$51.4 $51.4

-8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$103 $103

-15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$143 $143

-21.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$2,531 $2,531

-44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 $1,120

$1,621 $1,621

-30.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$4,828 $4,828

-45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 $2,086

$2,734 $2,734

-23.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,808 $2,808

$4,163 $4,163

-32.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,345 $2,345

$2,723 $2,723

-13.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 $4,257

$4,924 $4,924

-13.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.78

-2.80%

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

Last update for Sparks, NV, United States: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sparks, NV, United States

$1.1K 45.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 44.7% $501

Groceries & Markets

Sparks, NV, United States

$397 16%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 10.7% $42

Eating Out

Sparks, NV, United States

$352 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 2.2% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sparks, NV, United States

$328 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 1.2% $4

Clothing & Footwear

Sparks, NV, United States

$134 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 22% $30

Getting Around

Sparks, NV, United States

$79 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 22.4% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Sparks, NV, United States

$68 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 23.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,394 in Sparks, NV, United States versus $2,531 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 16% 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 $66 in Sparks, NV, United States versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $439 – making Sparks, NV, United States the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sparks, NV, United States

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

18:06 6:06 PM

2 h ahead of Sparks, NV, United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

104,246

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Sparks, NV, United States Chicago, IL 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Sparks, NV, United States
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

Sparks, NV, United States vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,478 in Sparks, NV, United States, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Sparks, NV, United States comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,716 per month in Sparks, NV, United States and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sparks, NV, United States, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,394 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Sparks, NV, United States and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sparks, NV, United States, where all-in costs run around $2,478, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Sparks, NV, United States it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sparks, NV, United States – 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 Sparks, NV, United States. 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.