Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,767 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
147

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

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,767 in Amherst, MA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Amherst, MA $2,767
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in Amherst, MA versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Amherst, MA $4,275
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,783 in Amherst, MA versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Amherst, MA $5,783
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Amherst, MA costs roughly 9% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 103% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$20.71 $20.71

-3.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 $70.8

$89.2 $89.2

-20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 $8.90

$13.19 $13.19

-32.52%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$5.66 $5.66

-15.37%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$2.64 $2.64

1.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.28 $2.28

-9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.87 $6.87

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.41 $10.41

$8.84 $8.84

17.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.25 $1.25

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.72 $3.72

-13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$5.39 $5.39

29.87%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$4.74 $4.74

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.50 $16.50

$13.84 $13.84

19.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$14.40 $14.40

9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 $18.29

$18.38 $18.38

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.22 $5.22

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.98 $1.98

-26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.06 $4.06

-19.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.97 $4.97

-7.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.67 $2.67

22.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.66 $2.66

39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.24 $2.24

2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.13 $3.13

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.69 $10.69

$13.82 $13.82

-22.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 $12.14

$14.88 $14.88

-18.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.54 $2.54

-22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.51 $3.51

11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.43 $2.43

-46.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.34 $28.34

$73.5 $73.5

-61.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.18 $3.18

11.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.39 $1.39

2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 $29.78

$25.03 $25.03

18.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.20 $1.20

-17.50%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.43%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.16%

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

$213 $213

$194 $194

9.53%

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

$56.5 $56.5

$69.5 $69.5

-18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 $87.9

$61.6 $61.6

42.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$47.90 $47.90

153.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.90 $6.90

$27.34 $27.34

-74.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 $10.65

$17.81 $17.81

-40.20%

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

$1,466 $1,466

$1,794 $1,794

-18.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K $17.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-46.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 $45.22

$67.0 $67.0

-32.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 $40.24

$52.1 $52.1

-22.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$102 $102

-9.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$144 $144

-23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$2,526 $2,526

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,578 $1,578

-14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,829 $3,829

$4,738 $4,738

-19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,693 $2,693

0.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,969 $3,969

$4,190 $4,190

-5.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,035 $4,035

$2,768 $2,768

45.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,660 $4,660

$4,931 $4,931

-5.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.81

-10.43%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 17.2% $232

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.9% $32

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.7% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 41.4% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 27.2% $35

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 112% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Amherst, MA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71 in Amherst, MA vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $447 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

03:03 3:03 AM

1 h behind Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Amherst, MA Chicago, IL 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, 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

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

Amherst, MA is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Amherst, MA. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,821 in Amherst, MA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,466 in Amherst, MA versus $1,794 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.