Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ashland, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

176

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

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

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Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,638

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,638 per month in Ashland, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ashland, MA $3,638
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,720 per month in Ashland, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ashland, MA $4,720
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,802 per month in Ashland, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ashland, MA $5,802
Chicago, IL $5,999

Ashland, MA costs about 20% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ashland, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Ashland, MA by 167%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$20.71 $20.71

-4.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$89.2 $89.2

-14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$13.19 $13.19

0.15%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$5.66 $5.66

-10.60%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$2.64 $2.64

8.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.28 $2.28

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.87 $6.87

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.84 $8.84

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.25 $1.25

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.72 $3.72

19.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$16.37 $16.37

$5.39 $5.39

203.71%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$4.74 $4.74

25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$13.84 $13.84

29.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$14.40 $14.40

-25.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 $18.82

$18.38 $18.38

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$5.22 $5.22

5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.98 $1.98

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.06 $4.06

-19.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$4.97 $4.97

-37.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.67 $2.67

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.66 $2.66

-9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.24 $2.24

16.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.13 $3.13

-8.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.66 $13.66

$13.82 $13.82

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.34 $17.34

$14.88 $14.88

16.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.54 $2.54

-25.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.51 $3.51

-22.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.18 $3.18

85.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.40%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.23%

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

$180 $180

$194 $194

-7.64%

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

$37.13 $37.13

$69.5 $69.5

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$61.6 $61.6

-4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$47.90 $47.90

58.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.12 $44.12

$27.34 $27.34

61.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 $12.37

$17.81 $17.81

-30.54%

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

$2,104 $2,104

$1,794 $1,794

17.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.59 $38.59

$67.0 $67.0

-42.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.15 $16.15

$52.1 $52.1

-69.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$102 $102

-0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$144 $144

-29.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 $2,102

$2,526 $2,526

-16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 $2,316

$1,578 $1,578

46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 $2,877

$4,738 $4,738

-39.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 $2,820

$2,693 $2,693

4.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,069 $5,069

$4,190 $4,190

20.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,390 $4,390

$2,768 $2,768

58.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,849 $7,849

$4,931 $4,931

59.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Ashland, 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

Ashland, MA

$2.3K 63.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 31.9% $738

Groceries & Markets

Ashland, MA

$496 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.8% $49

Eating Out

Ashland, MA

$328 9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 5.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ashland, MA

$276 7.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Ashland, MA

$116 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 41.6% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Ashland, MA

$101 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.1% $17

Getting Around

Ashland, MA

$5.9 * 0.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 1485% $87

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,102 in Ashland, MA 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 59% higher in Ashland, MA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Ashland, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $496 in Ashland, MA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:59 3:59 PM

14:59 2:59 PM

1 h behind Ashland, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,684

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Ashland, 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

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

Ashland, MA costs about 20% more than Chicago, IL, 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 $5,457 per month in Ashland, MA 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 Ashland, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,638 in Ashland, MA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Chicago, IL about 17% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,104 per month in Ashland, MA and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,638 in Ashland, MA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,638 in Ashland, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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