Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Allentown, PA: $2,765 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Allentown, PA
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Allentown, PA Living Index
147

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

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Allentown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,765

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,765 per month in Allentown, PA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Allentown, PA $2,765
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,896 per month in Allentown, PA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Allentown, PA $3,896
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,027 per month in Allentown, PA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Allentown, PA $5,027
Chicago, IL $5,999

Allentown, PA is about 9% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Allentown, PA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Allentown, PA by 103%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$20.71 $20.71

-4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 $91.8

$89.2 $89.2

2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.19 $13.19

-7.28%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.66 $5.66

-1.06%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.64 $2.64

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.28 $2.28

-31.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$6.87 $6.87

-28.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$8.84 $8.84

-33.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.25 $1.25

-4.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.72 $3.72

-43.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$5.39 $5.39

-54.92%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$4.74 $4.74

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 $15.62

$13.84 $13.84

12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$14.40 $14.40

-41.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$18.38 $18.38

3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$5.22 $5.22

29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$4.06 $4.06

-29.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$4.97 $4.97

33.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.67 $2.67

0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.66 $2.66

24.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.24 $2.24

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.13 $3.13

-19.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.71 $11.71

$13.82 $13.82

-15.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.88 $14.88

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.54 $2.54

-8.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.51 $3.51

-22.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.43 $2.43

4.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$73.5 $73.5

-17.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.18 $3.18

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.39 $1.39

58.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$25.03 $25.03

64.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.20 $1.20

-8.33%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.32%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.73%

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

$188 $188

$194 $194

-3.28%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$69.5 $69.5

-21.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$61.6 $61.6

14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 $30.16

$47.90 $47.90

-37.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.42 $25.42

$27.34 $27.34

-7.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 $13.03

$17.81 $17.81

-26.84%

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

$1,204 $1,204

$1,794 $1,794

-32.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-63.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.88 $37.88

$67.0 $67.0

-43.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$52.1 $52.1

-1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$102 $102

-11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$2,526 $2,526

-33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 $1,470

$1,578 $1,578

-6.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 $2,481

$4,738 $4,738

-47.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 $2,048

$2,693 $2,693

-23.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,166 $2,166

$4,190 $4,190

-48.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,905 $1,905

$2,768 $2,768

-31.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 $3,074

$4,931 $4,931

-37.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.81

-5.58%

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

Last update for Allentown, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Allentown, PA

$1.5K 53.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 7.4% $108

Groceries & Markets

Allentown, PA

$392 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 14.2% $56

Eating Out

Allentown, PA

$315 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.3% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Allentown, PA

$313 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Allentown, PA

$134 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 22.8% $30

Getting Around

Allentown, PA

$85 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 9.7% $8.2

Sport & Entertainment

Allentown, PA

$56 2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 48.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Allentown, PA versus $2,526 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 60% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Allentown, PA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Allentown, PA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Allentown, PA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Allentown, PA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:38 4:38 PM

15:38 3:38 PM

1 h behind Allentown, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

120,443

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Allentown, PA Chicago, IL 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Allentown, PA
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

Allentown, PA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Allentown, PA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,147 per month in Allentown, PA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Allentown, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,668 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Allentown, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,204 per month in Allentown, PA and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,765 in Allentown, PA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Allentown, PA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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