Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Waikiki, HI and in Chicago, IL: $3,148 and $3,072 a month, rent and utilities included.

143

Cost of Living Index in Waikiki, HI
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Waikiki, HI Living Index
146

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

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Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,148

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,148 per month in Waikiki, HI vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waikiki, HI $3,148
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,580 per month in Waikiki, HI vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waikiki, HI $4,580
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $6,011 per month in Waikiki, HI vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waikiki, HI $6,011
Chicago, IL $6,019

Waikiki, HI and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Waikiki, HI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waikiki, HI by 133%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.12 $25.12

$20.39 $20.39

23.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 $140

$88.6 $88.6

57.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.23 $15.23

$12.85 $12.85

18.52%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$5.78 $5.78

2.77%

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

$5.06 $5.06

$2.74 $2.74

84.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.26 $2.26

60.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 $10.44

$6.88 $6.88

51.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.37 $11.37

$9.24 $9.24

23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.26 $1.26

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.55 $3.55

-0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$5.38 $5.38

88.48%

Eggs

$8.84 $8.84

$4.55 $4.55

94.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$13.65 $13.65

-8.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.34 $20.34

$14.07 $14.07

44.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.60 $21.60

$18.06 $18.06

19.60%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$5.16 $5.16

60.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.98 $1.98

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.88 $3.88

78.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$4.83 $4.83

92.96%

Potato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.81 $2.81

72.95%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.67 $2.67

82.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.07 $2.07

156.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.03 $3.03

0.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$13.90 $13.90

-7.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 $18.20

$15.05 $15.05

20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.63 $2.63

2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 $5.68

$3.45 $3.45

64.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.43 $2.43

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$75.3 $75.3

-20.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.17 $3.17

13.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.70 $1.70

55.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.63 $45.63

$24.90 $24.90

83.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.28 $1.28

17.19%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$35.8K $35.8K

0.81%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.74%

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

$250 $250

$192 $192

30.31%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$69.6 $69.6

-6.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$62.2 $62.2

3.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$47.79 $47.79

-14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 $19.78

$17.83 $17.83

10.94%

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

$2,118 $2,118

$1,815 $1,815

16.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K $28.2K

$40.6K $40.6K

-30.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 $63.7

$66.2 $66.2

-3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.25 $47.25

$51.4 $51.4

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

-0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$143 $143

-6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$2,531 $2,531

-36.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 $1,424

$1,621 $1,621

-12.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$4,828 $4,828

-45.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$2,734 $2,734

-28.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,676 $2,676

$4,163 $4,163

-35.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,422 $2,422

$2,723 $2,723

-11.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.78

0.15%

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

Last update for Waikiki, HI: 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

Waikiki, HI

$1.4K 45.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 13.8% $197

Groceries & Markets

Waikiki, HI

$594 18.9%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 26.1% $155

Eating Out

Waikiki, HI

$428 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 19.6% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waikiki, HI

$380 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 14.8% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Waikiki, HI

$156 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 4.9% $7.6

Getting Around

Waikiki, HI

$86 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 12.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Waikiki, HI

$81 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 3.5% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Waikiki, HI 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $140 in Waikiki, HI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $594 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

4 h ahead of Waikiki, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,862

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Waikiki, HI Chicago, IL 6,840 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Waikiki, HI
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

Waikiki, HI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,722 per month in Waikiki, HI 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 Waikiki, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,612 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $140 in Waikiki, HI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Waikiki, HI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,148 in Waikiki, HI and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,148 in Waikiki, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.