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Chicago vs Salt Lake City cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Chicago
๐บ๐ธ Salt Lake City
At a glance
- Where Salt Lake City is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (39%โ), Scooter rental (39%โ), Taxi (29%โ)
- Where Chicago is clearly cheaper: Street food (33%โ), Laundry (20%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Chicago | Salt Lake City | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 17$17 | $ 18$18 | Chicago โ6% |
| Street food1 item | $ 8$8 | $ 12$12 | Chicago โ33% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 42$42 | $ 38$38 | Salt Lake City โ10% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | $ 5.8$5.8 | Chicago โ5% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 7.5$7.5 | $ 8$8 | Chicago โ6% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 15$15 | $ 13$13 | Salt Lake City โ13% |
| Bottled water | $ 1.8$1.8 | $ 2$2 | Chicago โ10% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 2.7$2.7 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Salt Lake City โ7% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 17$17 | $ 12$12 | Salt Lake City โ29% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | $ 8$8 | Salt Lake City โ20% |
| Transitone ride | $ 2.75$2.75 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Salt Lake City โ9% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 57$57 | $ 35$35 | Salt Lake City โ39% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 180$180 | $ 150$150 | Salt Lake City โ17% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 1,950$1,950 | $ 1,400$1,400 | Salt Lake City โ28% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | $ 5$5 | Chicago โ20% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 30$30 | $ 25$25 | Salt Lake City โ17% |
| Haircutcut | $ 35$35 | $ 25$25 | Salt Lake City โ29% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 85$85 | $ 80$80 | Salt Lake City โ6% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 60$60 | $ 70$70 | Chicago โ14% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 33$33 | $ 20$20 | Salt Lake City โ39% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Chicago or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City is 17% cheaper than Chicago. Daily budget $334 vs $288; a month $6,737 vs $5,371.
Which is easier to travel, Chicago or Salt Lake City?
About the same: Chicago 1.4/5, Salt Lake City 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Chicago and Salt Lake City?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chicago is about $6,737 and Salt Lake City about $5,371 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.