Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrington, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Barrington, IL: $2,677 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Barrington, IL
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Barrington, IL Living Index
152

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

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Barrington, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,677

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,677 per month in Barrington, IL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Barrington, IL $2,677
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,008 per month in Barrington, IL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Barrington, IL $4,008
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,339 per month in Barrington, IL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Barrington, IL $5,339
Chicago, IL $6,115

Barrington, IL is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Barrington, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Barrington, IL by 98%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.65 $20.65

-2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$90.2 $90.2

-17.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 $11.36

$12.94 $12.94

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$5.60 $5.60

-6.43%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.64 $2.64

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.27 $2.27

-9.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.98 $6.98

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$8.83 $8.83

-19.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.27 $1.27

-8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.80 $3.80

-0.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.30 $5.30

-18.30%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$4.76 $4.76

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$13.96 $13.96

9.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$14.61 $14.61

-24.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 $17.23

$18.77 $18.77

-8.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$5.19 $5.19

10.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.93 $3.93

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.96 $4.96

35.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.76 $2.76

-21.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.22 $2.22

9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.98 $2.98

-23.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 $10.15

$14.02 $14.02

-27.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.22 $17.22

$15.28 $15.28

12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.58 $2.58

-27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.50 $3.50

-2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.47 $2.47

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 $117

$74.8 $74.8

55.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.34 $3.34

2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.43 $1.43

9.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.06 $33.06

$24.32 $24.32

35.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.68%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.79%

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

$230 $230

$193 $193

19.50%

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

$48.44 $48.44

$68.3 $68.3

-29.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 $59.0

$61.3 $61.3

-3.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 $67.2

$54.1 $54.1

24.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 $15.27

$27.92 $27.92

-45.31%

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 $14.61

$17.74 $17.74

-17.64%

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

$1,481 $1,481

$1,652 $1,652

-10.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K $27.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

-11.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$66.1 $66.1

-20.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.21 $41.21

$51.2 $51.2

-19.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$100 $100

-10.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$141 $141

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$2,446 $2,446

-34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 $1,222

$1,678 $1,678

-27.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$4,717 $4,717

-46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$2,795 $2,795

-22.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,376 $2,376

$4,105 $4,105

-42.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,187 $2,187

$2,650 $2,650

-17.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,760 $5,760

$4,866 $4,866

18.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Barrington, IL: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Barrington, IL

$1.2K 45.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 37.3% $455

Groceries & Markets

Barrington, IL

$430 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.6% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barrington, IL

$338 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 4.6% $16

Eating Out

Barrington, IL

$322 12%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 6.8% $22

Getting Around

Barrington, IL

$136 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 29.9% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Barrington, IL

$133 5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 21.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Barrington, IL

$96 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 7.1% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Barrington, IL versus $2,446 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 18% higher in Barrington, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Barrington, IL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $430 vs $449 – making Barrington, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Barrington, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:34 9:34 PM

Same time as Barrington, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,772

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Barrington, IL Chicago, IL 52 km

From you

Barrington, IL
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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Barrington, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,015 per month in Barrington, IL and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barrington, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Barrington, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,481 per month in Barrington, IL and $1,652 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,677 in Barrington, IL and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barrington, IL costs $2,677 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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