Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brattleboro, VT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Brattleboro, VT: $1,994 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Brattleboro, VT
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Brattleboro, VT Living Index
147

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

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Brattleboro, VT

🇺🇸 United States

$1,994

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,994 in Brattleboro, VT versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Brattleboro, VT $1,994
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,179 in Brattleboro, VT versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Brattleboro, VT $3,179
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,363 in Brattleboro, VT versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Brattleboro, VT $4,363
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Brattleboro, VT costs roughly 34% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brattleboro, VT 47% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 $20.34

$20.71 $20.71

-1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 $89.5

$89.2 $89.2

0.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$13.19 $13.19

-9.93%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$5.66 $5.66

-7.42%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.64 $2.64

11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.28 $2.28

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 $3.89

$6.87 $6.87

-43.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 $6.68

$8.84 $8.84

-24.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.25 $1.25

-43.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.72 $3.72

-41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$5.39 $5.39

-54.17%

Eggs

$3.24 $3.24

$4.74 $4.74

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$13.84 $13.84

-1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$14.40 $14.40

-56.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 $8.60

$18.38 $18.38

-53.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.22 $5.22

-46.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.98 $1.98

-45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$4.06 $4.06

-40.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$4.97 $4.97

-34.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.67 $2.67

-42.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.66 $2.66

-51.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.24 $2.24

-30.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.13 $3.13

-50.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$13.82 $13.82

-26.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$14.88 $14.88

-47.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.54 $2.54

-42.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.51 $3.51

-67.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.18 $3.18

-16.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.39 $1.39

23.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.10 $28.10

$25.03 $25.03

12.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.20 $1.20

-36.67%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.60%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.59%

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

$118 $118

$194 $194

-39.06%

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

$49.44 $49.44

$69.5 $69.5

-28.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$61.6 $61.6

0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.11 $15.11

$47.90 $47.90

-68.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$17.81 $17.81

-40.37%

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

$2,572 $2,572

$1,794 $1,794

43.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.8K $35.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

11.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$67.0 $67.0

-24.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$52.1 $52.1

-1.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$102 $102

-27.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 $59.3

$144 $144

-58.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 $1,259

$2,526 $2,526

-50.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 $1,042

$1,578 $1,578

-33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 $2,225

$4,738 $4,738

-53.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 $2,085

$2,693 $2,693

-22.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,068 $2,068

$4,190 $4,190

-50.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,768 $2,768

-11.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 $3,602

$4,931 $4,931

-26.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-11.89%

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

Last update for Brattleboro, VT: 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

Brattleboro, VT

$1K 52.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 51.4% $536

Eating Out

Brattleboro, VT

$315 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.4% $30

Groceries & Markets

Brattleboro, VT

$253 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 76.6% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brattleboro, VT

$230 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 41.5% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Brattleboro, VT

$106 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 54.9% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Brattleboro, VT

$36 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 130% $47

Getting Around

Brattleboro, VT

$11 * 0.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 732% $82

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,259 in Brattleboro, VT and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89 in Brattleboro, VT vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $447 per month, with Brattleboro, VT cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Brattleboro, VT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:19 4:19 PM

15:19 3:19 PM

1 h behind Brattleboro, VT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Brattleboro, VT Chicago, IL 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Brattleboro, VT
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

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

Brattleboro, VT wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Brattleboro, VT the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Brattleboro, VT. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,259 in Brattleboro, VT versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,994 per month in Brattleboro, VT versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Brattleboro, VT is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Brattleboro, VT wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.