Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethesda, MD and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Bethesda, MD and in Chicago, IL: $3,141 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

153

Cost of Living Index in Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index
152

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

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Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,141

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,141 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bethesda, MD $3,141
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,927 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bethesda, MD $4,927
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bethesda, MD $6,712
Chicago, IL $6,115

Bethesda, MD and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Bethesda, MD and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bethesda, MD by 132%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.20 $22.20

$20.65 $20.65

7.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.2 $90.2

11.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$12.94 $12.94

-15.61%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.60 $5.60

0.36%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$2.64 $2.64

14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.27 $2.27

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$6.98 $6.98

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$8.83 $8.83

4.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.27 $1.27

-9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.80 $3.80

14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$5.30 $5.30

-29.25%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$4.76 $4.76

-5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$13.96 $13.96

19.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$14.61 $14.61

8.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.77 $18.77

21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.19 $5.19

7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.98 $1.98

-31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.93 $3.93

2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.96 $4.96

-13.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.76 $2.76

-21.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.76 $2.76

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.22 $2.22

3.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.98 $2.98

-13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 $9.66

$14.02 $14.02

-31.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.84 $17.84

$15.28 $15.28

16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.58 $2.58

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.50 $3.50

-16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.47 $2.47

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 $99.1

$74.8 $74.8

32.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.34 $3.34

17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.43 $1.43

-14.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 $24.91

$24.32 $24.32

2.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.26 $1.26

-26.98%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-33.67%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-8.36%

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

$167 $167

$193 $193

-13.60%

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

$38.68 $38.68

$68.3 $68.3

-43.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$61.3 $61.3

2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 $105

$54.1 $54.1

93.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.93 $29.93

$27.92 $27.92

7.20%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 $16.04

$17.74 $17.74

-9.58%

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

$1,611 $1,611

$1,652 $1,652

-2.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

17.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$66.1 $66.1

-14.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 $57.8

$51.2 $51.2

12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$100 $100

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$141 $141

4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$2,446 $2,446

-6.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 $1,638

$1,678 $1,678

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,975 $3,975

$4,717 $4,717

-15.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 $3,209

$2,795 $2,795

14.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,921 $5,921

$4,105 $4,105

44.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,355 $5,355

$2,650 $2,650

102.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,587 $8,587

$4,866 $4,866

76.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.81

-0.29%

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

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bethesda, MD

$1.6K 52.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 2.4% $40

Groceries & Markets

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 2.7% $13

Eating Out

Bethesda, MD

$352 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 2.5% $8.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bethesda, MD

$268 8.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 20.3% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Bethesda, MD

$163 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 1.1% $1.8

Sport & Entertainment

Bethesda, MD

$137 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 34.5% $47

Getting Around

Bethesda, MD

$121 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 21.6% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,276 in Bethesda, MD 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 76% higher in Bethesda, MD. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bethesda, MD versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:24 9:24 AM

08:24 8:24 AM

1 h behind Bethesda, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,858

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bethesda, MD Chicago, IL 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bethesda, 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,711 per month in Bethesda, MD 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bethesda, MD and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,141 in Bethesda, MD and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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