Cost of Living Comparison Between Bar Harbor, ME and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Bar Harbor, ME and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,856 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $3,051 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,205 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $4,638 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,554 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $6,224 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Bar Harbor, ME costs roughly 6% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bar Harbor, ME 113% above, Chicago, IL 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.68 $29.68

$20.67 $20.67

43.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$100 $100

19.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$11.86 $11.86

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$6.10 $6.10

$5.54 $5.54

10.11%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.06 $3.06

-8.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.48 $2.48

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.19 $6.19

$6.92 $6.92

-10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.13 $8.13

0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.04 $1.04

-4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.91 $3.91

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$5.42 $5.42

38.56%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$4.48 $4.48

-2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$14.52 $14.52

14.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$15.21 $15.21

-30.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.59 $16.59

$19.25 $19.25

-13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.39 $5.39

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.69 $1.69

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.92 $6.92

$4.32 $4.32

60.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$4.51 $4.51

2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.56 $2.56

9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$2.70 $2.70

107.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.41 $2.41

36.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.62 $2.62

-7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.73 $12.73

$15.02 $15.02

-15.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.71 $14.71

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.48 $2.48

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.69 $3.69

-15.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.55 $2.55

-21.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.29 $3.29

-38.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.43 $1.43

16.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 $28.97

$24.72 $24.72

17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.09 $1.09

-17.43%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$31.8K $31.8K

-9.06%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

40.12%

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

$206 $206

$183 $183

12.52%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$61.8 $61.8

-11.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.6 $81.6

$65.0 $65.0

25.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.56 $43.56

$76.1 $76.1

-42.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 $14.53

$14.75 $14.75

-1.49%

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

$1,300 $1,300

$2,056 $2,056

-36.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$38.5K $38.5K

-39.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$63.9 $63.9

-20.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 $75.4

$51.6 $51.6

46.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$97.3 $97.3

23.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$147 $147

-10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$2,349 $2,349

-30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$1,581 $1,581

-15.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 $2,578

$4,708 $4,708

-45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 $2,250

$2,716 $2,716

-17.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,518 $2,518

$3,976 $3,976

-36.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 $2,332

$2,632 $2,632

-11.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

6.6

1.67%

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

Last update for Bar Harbor, ME: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,632 in Bar Harbor, ME and $2,349 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $120 in Bar Harbor, ME vs $100 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $447, with Bar Harbor, ME cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bar Harbor, ME and Chicago, IL differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,856 vs $3,051 including rent). Bar Harbor, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,284 in Bar Harbor, ME and $4,577 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,632 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $2,349 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $2,056 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bar Harbor, ME – a meal for two runs $120 versus $100 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bar Harbor, ME 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 Bar Harbor, ME gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.