Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Archbold, OH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Archbold, OH: $2,598 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Archbold, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,598
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,139
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,598 in Archbold, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

  • Archbold, OH $2,598
  • Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,690 in Archbold, OH versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

  • Archbold, OH $3,690
  • Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,782 in Archbold, OH versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

  • Archbold, OH $4,782
  • Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Archbold, OH costs roughly 17% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Archbold, OH 92% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.73 $17.73
$20.65 $20.65
-14.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.0 $62.0
$90.2 $90.2
-31.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.10 $13.10
$12.94 $12.94
1.24%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$5.60 $5.60
1.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 $3.16
$2.64 $2.64
19.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.27 $2.27
-10.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.81 $7.81
$6.98 $6.98
11.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.77 $8.77
$8.83 $8.83
-0.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.27 $1.27
-18.11%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 $3.55
$3.80 $3.80
-6.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$5.30 $5.30
0.94%
Eggs
$3.85 $3.85
$4.76 $4.76
-19.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.66 $13.66
$13.96 $13.96
-2.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.17 $11.17
$14.61 $14.61
-23.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.36 $16.36
$18.77 $18.77
-12.84%
Apples (1kg)
$5.15 $5.15
$5.19 $5.19
-0.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.98 $1.98
-19.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$3.93 $3.93
13.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.70 $4.70
$4.96 $4.96
-5.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.76 $2.76
-9.42%
Onion (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.76 $2.76
11.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 $2.42
$2.22 $2.22
9.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.45 $2.45
$2.98 $2.98
-17.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.48 $10.48
$14.02 $14.02
-25.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.76 $15.76
$15.28 $15.28
3.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.09 $3.09
$2.58 $2.58
19.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 $3.56
$3.50 $3.50
1.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.10 $2.10
$2.47 $2.47
-14.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$74.8 $74.8
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.34 $3.34
-7.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.43 $1.43
9.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.38 $24.38
$24.32 $24.32
0.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.26 $1.26
-11.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K $34.2K
$35.0K $35.0K
-2.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$26.1K $26.1K
1.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 $217
$193 $193
12.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.6 $60.6
$68.3 $68.3
-11.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.6 $68.6
$61.3 $61.3
11.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.88 $46.88
$54.1 $54.1
-13.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.92 $27.92
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.11 $12.11
$17.74 $17.74
-31.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,356 $1,356
$1,652 $1,652
-17.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.8K $31.8K
$31.1K $31.1K
2.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 $58.0
$66.1 $66.1
-12.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.66 $40.66
$51.2 $51.2
-20.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.6 $95.6
$100 $100
-4.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$141 $141
-15.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,821 $1,821
$2,446 $2,446
-25.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 $1,281
$1,678 $1,678
-23.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,495 $2,495
$4,717 $4,717
-47.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,985 $1,985
$2,795 $2,795
-28.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,715 $2,715
$4,105 $4,105
-33.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,364 $2,364
$2,650 $2,650
-10.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Archbold, OH
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,866 $4,866
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
6.81
-4.70%

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

Last update for Archbold, OH: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Archbold, OH
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.7K 31% $397
Groceries & Markets
Archbold, OH
$412
Chicago, IL
$449 9% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Archbold, OH
$347
Chicago, IL
$322 7% $24
Eating Out
Archbold, OH
$326
Chicago, IL
$343 5.2% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Archbold, OH
$141
Chicago, IL
$161 14.1% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Archbold, OH
$71
Chicago, IL
$90 26% $19
Getting Around
Archbold, OH
$19 *
Chicago, IL
$95 392% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Archbold, OH and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Archbold, OH vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $449 per month, with Archbold, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Archbold, OH
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
05:32 5:32 AM
04:32 4:32 AM
1 h behind Archbold, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,300
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Archbold, OH Chicago, IL 280 km
From you
  • Archbold, OH
  • 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
Archbold, OH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Archbold, OH or Chicago, IL?
Archbold, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Archbold, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Archbold, OH and in Chicago, IL?
You'd need roughly $3,897 in Archbold, OH and $4,708 in Chicago, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Archbold, OH compared to Chicago, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,821 in Archbold, OH versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Archbold, OH or in Chicago, IL?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Archbold, OH compared to Chicago, IL?
All in, you'll spend $2,598 per month in Archbold, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Archbold, OH or in Chicago, IL?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Archbold, OH is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Archbold, OH or Chicago, IL?
Both work as nomad bases, but Archbold, OH delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,598 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Archbold, OH hard to pass up.
How safe is Archbold, OH compared to Chicago, IL?
Safety-wise, Archbold, OH and Chicago, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Archbold, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Archbold, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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