Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tooele, UT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Tooele, UT: $2,552 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tooele, UT
🇺🇸 United States
$2,552
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,139
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,552 per month in Tooele, UT vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Tooele, UT $2,552
  • Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,723 per month in Tooele, UT vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Tooele, UT $3,723
  • Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,894 per month in Tooele, UT vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Tooele, UT $4,894
  • Chicago, IL $6,115

Tooele, UT is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tooele, UT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Tooele, UT by 88%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.83 $17.83
$20.65 $20.65
-13.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.8 $73.8
$90.2 $90.2
-18.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.92 $9.92
$12.94 $12.94
-23.34%
Cappuccino
$5.14 $5.14
$5.60 $5.60
-8.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$2.64 $2.64
-12.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.27 $2.27
-25.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.02 $6.02
$6.98 $6.98
-13.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.77 $7.77
$8.83 $8.83
-12.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 $0.93
$1.27 $1.27
-26.77%
White Bread (500g)
$3.89 $3.89
$3.80 $3.80
2.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.14 $4.14
$5.30 $5.30
-21.89%
Eggs
$4.05 $4.05
$4.76 $4.76
-14.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.01 $12.01
$13.96 $13.96
-13.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.17 $12.17
$14.61 $14.61
-16.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.94 $16.94
$18.77 $18.77
-9.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 $3.98
$5.19 $5.19
-23.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.98 $1.98
-30.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.63 $3.63
$3.93 $3.93
-7.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.99 $3.99
$4.96 $4.96
-19.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.76 $2.76
-19.57%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 $2.44
$2.76 $2.76
-11.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.22 $2.22
-12.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$2.98 $2.98
-34.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.33 $10.33
$14.02 $14.02
-26.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.83 $14.83
$15.28 $15.28
-2.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.58 $2.58
3.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$3.50 $3.50
-5.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.47 $2.47
-18.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$74.8 $74.8
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.45 $2.45
$3.34 $3.34
-26.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.43 $1.43
58.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.54 $24.54
$24.32 $24.32
0.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.26 $1.26
-11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K $34.4K
$35.0K $35.0K
-1.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$26.1K $26.1K
-0.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 $191
$193 $193
-1.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.48 $48.48
$68.3 $68.3
-28.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.4 $69.4
$61.3 $61.3
13.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.20 $46.20
$54.1 $54.1
-14.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.92 $27.92
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.87 $14.87
$17.74 $17.74
-16.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,284 $1,284
$1,652 $1,652
-22.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.3K $20.3K
$31.1K $31.1K
-34.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.7 $70.7
$66.1 $66.1
6.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.75 $45.75
$51.2 $51.2
-10.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$100 $100
9.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$141 $141
-24.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,238 $1,238
$2,446 $2,446
-49.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,317 $1,317
$1,678 $1,678
-21.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,776 $1,776
$4,717 $4,717
-62.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,165 $2,165
$2,795 $2,795
-22.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,462 $2,462
$4,105 $4,105
-40.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,441 $2,441
$2,650 $2,650
-7.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tooele, UT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,850 $7,850
$4,866 $4,866
61.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.46
6.81
-5.14%

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

Last update for Tooele, UT: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tooele, UT
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.7K 27.4% $361
Groceries & Markets
Tooele, UT
$384
Chicago, IL
$449 17.1% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tooele, UT
$308
Chicago, IL
$322 4.5% $14
Eating Out
Tooele, UT
$296
Chicago, IL
$343 16.2% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Tooele, UT
$150
Chicago, IL
$161 7.5% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Tooele, UT
$76
Chicago, IL
$90 18% $14
Getting Around
Tooele, UT
$22 *
Chicago, IL
$95 336% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Tooele, UT 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 61% higher in Tooele, UT, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Tooele, UT versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $449 – making Tooele, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Tooele, UT
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
22:35 10:35 PM
23:35 11:35 PM
1 h ahead of Tooele, UT
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,104
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tooele, UT Chicago, IL 2,060 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tooele, UT
  • 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
Tooele, UT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tooele, UT and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,552 in Tooele, UT, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Tooele, UT compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,828 per month in Tooele, UT and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tooele, UT and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tooele, UT, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Tooele, UT and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 17% 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 is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Tooele, UT, where all-in costs run around $2,552, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Tooele, UT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tooele, UT and Chicago, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,552 in Tooele, UT to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tooele, UT or Chicago, IL safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Tooele, UT and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Tooele, UT. 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.

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