Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashland, OH: $2,365 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, OH
Learn more

Ashland, OH Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Ashland, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,365

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,365 in Ashland, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Ashland, OH $2,365
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,244 in Ashland, OH versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Ashland, OH $3,244
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,124 in Ashland, OH versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Ashland, OH $4,124
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Ashland, OH costs roughly 25% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashland, OH 75% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.76 $8.76

$20.65 $20.65

-57.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.20 $35.20

$90.2 $90.2

-60.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 $8.26

$12.94 $12.94

-36.17%

Cappuccino

$3.45 $3.45

$5.60 $5.60

-38.39%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$2.64 $2.64

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.27 $2.27

-45.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 $2.74

$6.98 $6.98

-60.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$8.83 $8.83

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.27 $1.27

-34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.80 $3.80

-51.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$5.30 $5.30

-32.83%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$4.76 $4.76

-23.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 $9.93

$13.96 $13.96

-28.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 $9.23

$14.61 $14.61

-36.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$18.77 $18.77

-22.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.19 $5.19

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.98 $1.98

-40.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.93 $3.93

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$4.96 $4.96

-10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.76 $2.76

-27.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.76 $2.76

4.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.22 $2.22

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.98 $2.98

-33.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.33 $10.33

$14.02 $14.02

-26.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 $9.38

$15.28 $15.28

-38.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.58 $2.58

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.50 $3.50

-26.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.47 $2.47

99.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$200 $200

$74.8 $74.8

167.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.34 $3.34

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.43 $1.43

-34.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.04 $18.04

$24.32 $24.32

-25.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.26 $1.26

-17.46%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.51%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.11%

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

$198 $198

$193 $193

2.71%

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

$33.76 $33.76

$68.3 $68.3

-50.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 $58.7

$61.3 $61.3

-4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.79 $45.79

$54.1 $54.1

-15.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 $8.08

$17.74 $17.74

-54.45%

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

$890 $890

$1,652 $1,652

-46.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K $20.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-34.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$66.1 $66.1

-18.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 $43.89

$51.2 $51.2

-14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$100 $100

-0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$141 $141

-25.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 $885

$2,446 $2,446

-63.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 $1,157

$1,678 $1,678

-31.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 $1,325

$4,717 $4,717

-71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$2,795 $2,795

-40.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,838 $1,838

$4,105 $4,105

-55.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 $1,968

$2,650 $2,650

-25.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,580 $3,580

$4,866 $4,866

-26.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.81

-3.08%

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

Last update for Ashland, OH: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ashland, OH

$1.2K 48.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 45% $520

Groceries & Markets

Ashland, OH

$313 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 43.7% $137

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ashland, OH

$290 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 11% $32

Getting Around

Ashland, OH

$227 9.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 58.1% $132

Eating Out

Ashland, OH

$180 7.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 91.3% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Ashland, OH

$136 5.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 18.6% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Ashland, OH

$62 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 44.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Ashland, OH and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 36% 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: $35.00 in Ashland, OH vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $449 per month, with Ashland, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ashland, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:07 3:07 AM

02:07 2:07 AM

1 h behind Ashland, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,684

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ashland, OH Chicago, IL 460 km

From you

Ashland, 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

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

Ashland, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ashland, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Chicago, IL. 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: $885 in Ashland, OH versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashland, OH – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,365 per month in Ashland, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,365 in Ashland, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ashland, OH but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Ashland, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ashland, OH delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,365 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ashland, OH hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ashland, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.