Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangor, ME and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangor, ME: $2,256 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Bangor, ME
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Bangor, ME Living Index
147

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

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Bangor, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,256

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,256 per month in Bangor, ME vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bangor, ME $2,256
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,339 per month in Bangor, ME vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bangor, ME $3,339
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,423 per month in Bangor, ME vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bangor, ME $4,423
Chicago, IL $5,999

Bangor, ME is about 26% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Bangor, ME and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bangor, ME by 66%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.90 $15.90

$20.71 $20.71

-23.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 $68.6

$89.2 $89.2

-23.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$13.19 $13.19

-7.35%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$5.66 $5.66

-1.41%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.28 $2.28

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$6.87 $6.87

-27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.39 $7.39

$8.84 $8.84

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.25 $1.25

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.72 $3.72

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$5.39 $5.39

-64.75%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$4.74 $4.74

-14.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 $13.64

$13.84 $13.84

-1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 $8.91

$14.40 $14.40

-38.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.11 $19.11

$18.38 $18.38

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$5.22 $5.22

-8.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.98 $1.98

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.06 $4.06

43.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$4.97 $4.97

37.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.67 $2.67

-9.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.66 $2.66

40.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.24 $2.24

-23.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.13 $3.13

-47.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 $10.04

$13.82 $13.82

-27.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.88 $14.88

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.54 $2.54

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.51 $3.51

-24.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.84 $29.84

$73.5 $73.5

-59.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.18 $3.18

-3.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.39 $1.39

53.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 $10.96

$25.03 $25.03

-56.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-32.48%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.02%

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

$229 $229

$194 $194

17.88%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$69.5 $69.5

-25.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 $79.3

$61.6 $61.6

28.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.24 $49.24

$47.90 $47.90

2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 $11.95

$27.34 $27.34

-56.29%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 $10.79

$17.81 $17.81

-39.42%

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

$1,507 $1,507

$1,794 $1,794

-15.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$67.0 $67.0

-21.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.41 $29.41

$52.1 $52.1

-43.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 $76.9

$102 $102

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.0 $66.0

$144 $144

-54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 $1,042

$2,526 $2,526

-58.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$979 $979

$1,578 $1,578

-37.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$4,738 $4,738

-60.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 $1,665

$2,693 $2,693

-38.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,011 $2,011

$4,190 $4,190

-52.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,992 $1,992

$2,768 $2,768

-28.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,835 $4,835

$4,931 $4,931

-1.95%

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 Bangor, ME: 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

Bangor, ME

$979 43.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 61.2% $599

Groceries & Markets

Bangor, ME

$402 17.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 11.3% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangor, ME

$360 16%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.6% $35

Eating Out

Bangor, ME

$292 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 18.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Bangor, ME

$101 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 61.8% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Bangor, ME

$71 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.9% $13

Getting Around

Bangor, ME

$51 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 81.5% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,042 in Bangor, ME 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Bangor, ME versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $447 – making Bangor, ME the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bangor, ME

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:48 11:48 PM

22:48 10:48 PM

1 h behind Bangor, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,753

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Bangor, ME Chicago, IL 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bangor, ME
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

Bangor, ME vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than Bangor, ME, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,384 per month in Bangor, ME 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 Bangor, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,042 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Bangor, ME and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,256 in Bangor, ME and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Bangor, ME about 26% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,256 in Bangor, ME 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 Bangor, ME – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Bangor, ME is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 26% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.