Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Acton, MA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Acton, MA and in Chicago, IL: $3,193 and $3,185 a month, rent and utilities included.

154

Cost of Living Index in Acton, MA
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Acton, MA Living Index
153

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

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Acton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,193

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,193 per month in Acton, MA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Acton, MA $3,193
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,790 per month in Acton, MA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Acton, MA $4,790
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,388 per month in Acton, MA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Acton, MA $6,388
Chicago, IL $6,077

Acton, MA and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Acton, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Acton, MA by 136%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 $18.14

$21.58 $21.58

-15.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.9 $95.9

$88.7 $88.7

8.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.47 $13.47

$13.20 $13.20

2.05%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$5.59 $5.59

-2.68%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.63 $2.63

7.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.26 $2.26

19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$7.11 $7.11

-28.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$9.23 $9.23

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.28 $1.28

-25.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.84 $3.84

-40.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$5.07 $5.07

4.14%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$4.84 $4.84

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$14.17 $14.17

-21.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$14.61 $14.61

-0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 $17.87

$18.76 $18.76

-4.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$5.19 $5.19

-14.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.00 $2.00

-14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$4.00 $4.00

-28.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.98 $4.98

-18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.79 $2.79

-30.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.65 $2.65

6.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.13 $2.13

-9.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 $13.62

$16.05 $16.05

-15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 $9.12

$15.20 $15.20

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.62 $2.62

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.46 $3.46

23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.24 $1.24

-25.00%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.19%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.95%

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

$316 $316

$192 $192

64.41%

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

$60.8 $60.8

$67.8 $67.8

-10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$60.9 $60.9

20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.68 $24.68

$53.6 $53.6

-53.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 $12.91

$17.80 $17.80

-27.47%

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

$1,857 $1,857

$1,554 $1,554

19.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$31.4K $31.4K

-4.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$67.9 $67.9

-15.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 $38.97

$50.8 $50.8

-23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$101 $101

-20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$143 $143

-28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 $2,698

$2,383 $2,383

13.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 $1,898

$1,712 $1,712

10.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,948 $2,948

$4,674 $4,674

-36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,557 $3,557

$2,738 $2,738

29.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,016 $9,016

$4,894 $4,894

84.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.77

-1.92%

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

Last update for Acton, MA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Acton, MA

$1.9K 59.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 9.8% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Acton, MA

$450 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 28.7% $129

Groceries & Markets

Acton, MA

$354 * 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 27.5% $97

Eating Out

Acton, MA

$314 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 12.5% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Acton, MA

$126 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 30.2% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Acton, MA

$51 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 76.6% $39

Getting Around

Acton, MA

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,698 in Acton, MA versus $2,383 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 84% higher in Acton, MA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Acton, MA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Acton, MA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Acton, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Acton, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

09:04 9:04 AM

1 h behind Acton, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,596

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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Highest

Between locations

Acton, MA Chicago, IL 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Acton, MA
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

Acton, MA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,789 per month in Acton, MA and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Acton, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Acton, MA and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,193 in Acton, MA and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,185 versus $3,193 in Acton, MA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acton, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.