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: $2,836 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,284 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $4,628 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,731 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $6,179 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Bar Harbor, ME costs roughly 8% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bar Harbor, ME 112% above, Chicago, IL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.16 $30.16

$20.91 $20.91

44.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$98.1 $98.1

23.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.86 $11.86

2.70%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$5.60 $5.60

9.64%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.07 $3.07

-5.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.47 $2.47

-6.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$7.14 $7.14

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 $7.99

$8.08 $8.08

-1.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.05 $1.05

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.11 $4.11

-13.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$5.61 $5.61

37.25%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$4.51 $4.51

-3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 $16.45

$14.27 $14.27

15.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 $10.82

$14.89 $14.89

-27.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 $16.52

$19.19 $19.19

-13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$5.14 $5.14

-32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.77 $1.77

-6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$4.39 $4.39

52.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$4.56 $4.56

6.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.54 $2.54

10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.75 $2.75

98.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.42 $2.42

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.62 $2.62

-5.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.60 $12.60

$14.92 $14.92

-15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.80 $14.80

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.46 $2.46

-22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.73 $3.73

-20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.48 $2.48

-20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.18 $3.18

-38.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.42 $1.42

11.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.88 $28.88

$24.94 $24.94

15.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.06 $1.06

-17.92%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-6.56%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

42.41%

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

$209 $209

$185 $185

12.84%

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

$54.5 $54.5

$61.7 $61.7

-11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.8 $82.8

$66.9 $66.9

23.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 $42.38

$75.2 $75.2

-43.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$14.71 $14.71

-3.26%

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

$1,313 $1,313

$2,020 $2,020

-34.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$39.4K $39.4K

-39.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$64.6 $64.6

-22.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.3 $76.3

$52.5 $52.5

45.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$97.8 $97.8

26.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$148 $148

-11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$2,313 $2,313

-31.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 $1,354

$1,590 $1,590

-14.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$4,608 $4,608

-42.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$2,779 $2,779

-20.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$3,922 $3,922

-31.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 $2,340

$2,613 $2,613

-10.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Bar Harbor, ME and $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $122 in Bar Harbor, ME vs $98.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $432 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 8% in total monthly costs ($2,836 vs $3,077 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 $4,254 in Bar Harbor, ME and $4,616 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: $1,576 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,313 in Bar Harbor, ME versus $2,020 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 $122 versus $98.0 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 8% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.