Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Union, SC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Union, SC: $2,296 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Union, SC
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Union, SC Living Index
152

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

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Union, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,296

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Union, SC vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Union, SC $2,296
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,597 per month in Union, SC vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Union, SC $3,597
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in Union, SC vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Union, SC $4,897
Chicago, IL $6,115

Union, SC is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Union, SC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Union, SC by 69%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.15 $9.15

$20.65 $20.65

-55.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$90.2 $90.2

9.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 $8.51

$12.94 $12.94

-34.23%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$5.60 $5.60

6.79%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.64 $2.64

-11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.27 $2.27

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 $2.80

$6.98 $6.98

-59.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$8.83 $8.83

-61.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.27 $1.27

-15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.80 $3.80

-14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$5.30 $5.30

-53.77%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$4.76 $4.76

-30.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$13.96 $13.96

-35.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$14.61 $14.61

-8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$18.77 $18.77

-21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.19 $5.19

-45.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.98 $1.98

-33.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.93 $3.93

-17.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$4.96 $4.96

-10.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.76 $2.76

-14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.76 $2.76

-23.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.22 $2.22

-21.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.98 $2.98

-56.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.35 $8.35

$14.02 $14.02

-40.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$15.28 $15.28

-42.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.58 $2.58

-30.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.50 $3.50

47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.47 $2.47

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.34 $3.34

38.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.43 $1.43

111.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.96 $34.96

$24.32 $24.32

43.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.26 $1.26

-27.78%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.10%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

-3.19%

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

$177 $177

$193 $193

-8.12%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$68.3 $68.3

-4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.72 $45.72

$61.3 $61.3

-25.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$54.1 $54.1

-22.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 $13.17

$17.74 $17.74

-25.76%

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

$2,585 $2,585

$1,652 $1,652

56.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-25.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.21 $47.21

$66.1 $66.1

-28.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 $20.96

$51.2 $51.2

-59.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$100 $100

-14.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$141 $141

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$2,446 $2,446

-43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 $1,259

$1,678 $1,678

-24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$4,717 $4,717

-53.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$2,795 $2,795

-13.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$4,105 $4,105

-34.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,125 $2,125

$2,650 $2,650

-19.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,496 $2,496

$4,866 $4,866

-48.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-41.26%

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

Last update for Union, SC: 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

Union, SC

$1.3K 54.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 33.3% $419

Groceries & Markets

Union, SC

$332 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 35.5% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Union, SC

$288 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 12% $35

Eating Out

Union, SC

$208 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 64.8% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Union, SC

$114 5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 41.8% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Union, SC

$68 3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 31.6% $22

Getting Around

Union, SC

$28 * 1.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 239% $67

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,390 in Union, SC 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 $99.0 in Union, SC versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Union, SC vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Union, SC wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Union, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:09 4:09 AM

03:09 3:09 AM

1 h behind Union, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

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

Union, SC Chicago, IL 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Union, SC
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

Union, SC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,296 in Union, SC, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Union, SC 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 Union, SC, 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 $99.0 in Union, SC and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Union, SC, where all-in costs run around $2,296, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Union, SC 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 $2,296 in Union, SC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Union, SC. 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.