Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bradford, PA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bradford, PA: $2,602 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Bradford, PA
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Bradford, PA Living Index
152

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

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Bradford, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,602

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,602 per month in Bradford, PA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bradford, PA $2,602
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,703 per month in Bradford, PA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bradford, PA $3,703
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,805 per month in Bradford, PA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bradford, PA $4,805
Chicago, IL $6,115

Bradford, PA is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bradford, PA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bradford, PA by 92%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 $20.10

$20.65 $20.65

-2.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 $50.3

$90.2 $90.2

-44.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$12.94 $12.94

-23.65%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$5.60 $5.60

8.04%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 $2.64

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.27 $2.27

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$6.98 $6.98

-21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 $6.91

$8.83 $8.83

-21.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.27 $1.27

-25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.80 $3.80

-43.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$5.30 $5.30

-38.87%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$4.76 $4.76

-1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$13.96 $13.96

-7.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 $10.10

$14.61 $14.61

-30.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 $16.11

$18.77 $18.77

-14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.19 $5.19

-5.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.98 $1.98

-21.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.93 $3.93

-16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.96 $4.96

-34.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.76 $2.76

-5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.22 $2.22

-9.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.98 $2.98

-32.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 $6.91

$14.02 $14.02

-50.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$15.28 $15.28

-47.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.58 $2.58

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.50 $3.50

14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.47 $2.47

-14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.34 $3.34

54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.43 $1.43

55.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.10 $44.10

$24.32 $24.32

81.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$33.9K $33.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-3.17%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

-2.91%

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

$323 $323

$193 $193

67.57%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$68.3 $68.3

-25.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.90 $39.90

$61.3 $61.3

-34.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.02 $42.02

$54.1 $54.1

-22.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 $10.80

$17.74 $17.74

-39.12%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,652 $1,652

-8.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K $32.7K

$31.1K $31.1K

5.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.40 $34.40

$66.1 $66.1

-47.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.76 $39.76

$51.2 $51.2

-22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$100 $100

14.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 $80.7

$141 $141

-42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 $775

$2,446 $2,446

-68.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$1,678 $1,678

-21.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 $1,215

$4,717 $4,717

-74.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 $2,182

$2,795 $2,795

-21.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 $2,948

$4,105 $4,105

-28.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,650 $2,650

-10.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,693 $3,693

$4,866 $4,866

-24.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.81

-4.26%

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

Last update for Bradford, PA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bradford, PA

$1.3K 50.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 28% $367

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bradford, PA

$413 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 22.1% $91

Groceries & Markets

Bradford, PA

$344 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 30.7% $106

Eating Out

Bradford, PA

$324 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 6% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Bradford, PA

$121 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 33.2% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Bradford, PA

$64 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 40.8% $26

Getting Around

Bradford, PA

$25 * 1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 284% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $775 in Bradford, PA 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 32% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bradford, PA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $449 – making Bradford, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bradford, PA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:52 6:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

1 h behind Bradford, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,507

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bradford, PA Chicago, IL 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bradford, PA
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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Bradford, PA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,902 per month in Bradford, PA 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 Bradford, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,602 in Bradford, PA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 21%.

Kindergarten costs $1,506 per month in Bradford, PA and $1,652 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bradford, PA, where all-in costs run around $2,602, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Bradford, PA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bradford, PA costs $2,602 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bradford, PA. 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.