Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bel Air, MD and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bel Air, MD: $2,662 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Bel Air, MD
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Bel Air, MD Living Index
147

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

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Bel Air, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,662

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,662 per month in Bel Air, MD vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bel Air, MD $2,662
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,745 per month in Bel Air, MD vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bel Air, MD $3,745
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Bel Air, MD vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bel Air, MD $4,829
Chicago, IL $5,999

Bel Air, MD is about 12% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bel Air, MD and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bel Air, MD by 96%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.04 $16.04

$20.71 $20.71

-22.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 $68.3

$89.2 $89.2

-23.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$13.19 $13.19

-24.87%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$5.66 $5.66

-6.18%

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

$1.71 $1.71

$2.64 $2.64

-35.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.28 $2.28

-23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.87 $6.87

-5.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 $6.35

$8.84 $8.84

-28.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.25 $1.25

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.72 $3.72

-6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.39 $5.39

-17.81%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$4.74 $4.74

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$13.84 $13.84

-9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 $11.47

$14.40 $14.40

-20.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.82 $16.82

$18.38 $18.38

-8.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.22 $5.22

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.98 $1.98

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.06 $4.06

8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.97 $4.97

-7.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.67 $2.67

5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.66 $2.66

12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.24 $2.24

-1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.13 $3.13

-29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$13.82 $13.82

-27.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$14.88 $14.88

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.54 $2.54

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.51 $3.51

-2.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.43 $2.43

-16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$73.5 $73.5

-18.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.18 $3.18

-4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.39 $1.39

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$25.03 $25.03

21.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.43%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.01%

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

$204 $204

$194 $194

4.83%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$69.5 $69.5

-15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$61.6 $61.6

13.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.72 $45.72

$47.90 $47.90

-4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.70 $37.70

$27.34 $27.34

37.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.37 $14.37

$17.81 $17.81

-19.31%

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

$1,551 $1,551

$1,794 $1,794

-13.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-23.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.68 $48.68

$67.0 $67.0

-27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.26 $44.26

$52.1 $52.1

-15.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 $82.9

$102 $102

-18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$144 $144

-25.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$2,526 $2,526

-40.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 $1,369

$1,578 $1,578

-13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 $2,909

$4,738 $4,738

-38.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 $1,989

$2,693 $2,693

-26.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 $2,637

$4,190 $4,190

-37.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,109 $2,109

$2,768 $2,768

-23.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,055 $5,055

$4,931 $4,931

2.52%

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 Bel Air, MD: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bel Air, MD

$1.4K 51.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 15.2% $209

Groceries & Markets

Bel Air, MD

$397 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 12.7% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bel Air, MD

$333 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.1% $7.1

Eating Out

Bel Air, MD

$281 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 22.8% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Bel Air, MD

$127 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 28.9% $37

Getting Around

Bel Air, MD

$80 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 16.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Bel Air, MD

$74 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 12.2% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,505 in Bel Air, MD 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 $68 in Bel Air, MD versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $447 – making Bel Air, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bel Air, MD

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:41 5:41 AM

04:41 4:41 AM

1 h behind Bel Air, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,253

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bel Air, MD Chicago, IL 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bel Air, MD
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

Bel Air, MD vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,662 in Bel Air, MD, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Bel Air, MD comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,992 per month in Bel Air, MD 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 Bel Air, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,505 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,662 in Bel Air, MD and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Bel Air, MD about 12% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Bel Air, MD. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bel Air, MD, where all-in costs run around $2,662, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Bel Air, MD it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bel Air, MD – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Bel Air, MD is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 12% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.