Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Chicago, IL 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Chicago, IL is 6.7% higher than in Boulder, CO (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Chicago, IL is 12.2% higher than in Boulder, CO | |
| Rent Prices in Chicago, IL are 22.1% higher than in Boulder, CO | |
| Restaurant Prices in Chicago, IL are 13.2% higher than in Boulder, CO | |
| Groceries Prices in Chicago, IL are 18.9% higher than in Boulder, CO | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Chicago, IL is 23.6% lower than in Boulder, CO | |
Restaurants | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 21.00 $ | 25.00 $ | +19.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 90.00 $ | 100.00 $ | +11.1 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 10.00 $ | 12.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 7.00 $ | 8.00 $ | +14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.00 $ | 8.50 $ | +6.2 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.17 $ | 5.17 $ | +0.1 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.97 $ | 3.03 $ | +1.9 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.50 $ | 2.42 $ | -3.3 % |
Markets | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3.96 $ | 4.06 $ | +2.3 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.25 $ | 3.74 $ | +15.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.59 $ | 2.84 $ | +9.6 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.66 $ | 3.95 $ | +7.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.03 $ | 7.37 $ | +46.5 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 5.39 $ | 6.72 $ | +24.7 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 6.64 $ | 9.30 $ | +40.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.08 $ | 2.65 $ | +27.4 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.67 $ | 0.89 $ | +33.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.15 $ | 2.15 $ | +0.2 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.67 $ | 2.27 $ | -14.7 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 2.22 $ | 1.20 $ | -46.0 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.27 $ | 1.36 $ | +7.7 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.74 $ | 2.29 $ | +31.3 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.10 $ | 2.82 $ | +34.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 17.00 $ | 15.00 $ | -11.8 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.73 $ | 2.64 $ | +52.9 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.70 $ | 4.09 $ | +51.6 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 9.98 $ | 16.00 $ | +60.3 % |
Transportation | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.75 $ | 2.50 $ | -9.1 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 150.00 $ | 80.00 $ | -46.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 2.50 $ | 3.25 $ | +30.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.00 $ | 2.63 $ | +31.2 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 25.00 $ | 25.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.32 $ | 4.17 $ | +25.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 32,429.00 $ | 37,383.69 $ | +15.3 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 25,911.25 $ | 26,997.89 $ | +4.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 188.32 $ | 160.44 $ | -14.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 55.20 $ | 55.69 $ | +0.9 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 69.44 $ | 56.69 $ | -18.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 89.00 $ | 78.62 $ | -11.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 20.00 $ | 17.50 $ | -12.5 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 18.00 $ | 15.00 $ | -16.7 % |
Childcare | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,433.33 $ | 2,308.33 $ | +61.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 30,700.00 $ | 45,450.00 $ | +48.0 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 54.00 $ | 62.89 $ | +16.5 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 45.00 $ | 56.54 $ | +25.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 87.33 $ | 98.35 $ | +12.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 212.50 $ | 131.79 $ | -38.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,862.50 $ | 2,478.70 $ | +33.1 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,512.50 $ | 1,526.18 $ | +0.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 3,500.00 $ | 4,720.00 $ | +34.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,742.86 $ | 3,016.00 $ | +10.0 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 669.34 $ | 360.00 $ | -46.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 422.02 $ | 327.50 $ | -22.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Boulder, CO Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,655.38 $ | 4,851.06 $ | -14.2 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.47 | 6.67 | +3.1 % |
| Last update: | June 2024 | June 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 34 | 237 |
Moving to Boulder, CO? Explore:
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Cities near Boulder, CO: | Cost of Living in Denver, Colorado | 27.78 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fort Collins, Colorado | 55.52 miles |
| Cost of Living in Breckenridge, Colorado | 87.37 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cheyenne, Wyoming | 92.49 miles |
| Cost of Living in Colorado Springs, Colorado | 97.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Laramie, Wyoming | 136.73 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aspen, Colorado | 165.30 miles |
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Naperville, Illinois | 30.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Schaumburg, Illinois | 30.60 miles |