Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunswick, ME and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Brunswick, ME: $2,678 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Brunswick, ME
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Brunswick, ME Living Index
147

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

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Brunswick, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,678

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,678 in Brunswick, ME versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Brunswick, ME $2,678
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,022 in Brunswick, ME versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Brunswick, ME $4,022
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,366 in Brunswick, ME versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Brunswick, ME $5,366
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Brunswick, ME costs roughly 12% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brunswick, ME 97% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.46 $25.46

$20.71 $20.71

22.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$89.2 $89.2

31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$13.19 $13.19

13.27%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$5.66 $5.66

12.37%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.64 $2.64

18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.28 $2.28

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 $7.92

$6.87 $6.87

15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$8.84 $8.84

-7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.25 $1.25

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.72 $3.72

-13.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.39 $5.39

-36.18%

Eggs

$2.45 $2.45

$4.74 $4.74

-48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 $12.95

$13.84 $13.84

-6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 $10.24

$14.40 $14.40

-28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$18.38 $18.38

-13.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$5.22 $5.22

-10.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.06 $4.06

11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.97 $4.97

28.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.67 $2.67

24.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.66 $2.66

36.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.24 $2.24

8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.13 $3.13

-38.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.97 $8.97

$13.82 $13.82

-35.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 $13.13

$14.88 $14.88

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.54 $2.54

-45.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.51 $3.51

-44.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.43 $2.43

-18.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 $59.7

$73.5 $73.5

-18.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.18 $3.18

-36.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 $1.39

9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.15 $11.15

$25.03 $25.03

-55.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.39%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.21%

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

$158 $158

$194 $194

-18.96%

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

$68.0 $68.0

$69.5 $69.5

-2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.1 $78.1

$61.6 $61.6

26.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.42 $35.42

$47.90 $47.90

-26.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$17.81 $17.81

-20.61%

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

$1,242 $1,242

$1,794 $1,794

-30.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-16.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$67.0 $67.0

-22.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.5 $81.5

$52.1 $52.1

56.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$144 $144

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 $1,557

$2,526 $2,526

-38.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 $1,292

$1,578 $1,578

-18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$4,738 $4,738

-46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 $2,076

$2,693 $2,693

-22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 $2,959

$4,190 $4,190

-29.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,310 $2,310

$2,768 $2,768

-16.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,782 $4,782

$4,931 $4,931

-3.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.81

-4.55%

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

Last update for Brunswick, ME: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Brunswick, ME

$1.3K 48.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 22.2% $286

Eating Out

Brunswick, ME

$403 15%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14.4% $58

Groceries & Markets

Brunswick, ME

$373 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 19.8% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brunswick, ME

$304 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 7.2% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Brunswick, ME

$166 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 1.2% $2

Getting Around

Brunswick, ME

$77 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 20.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Brunswick, ME

$64 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 31.1% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,557 in Brunswick, ME and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 3% 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: $118 in Brunswick, ME vs $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $447, with Brunswick, ME cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Brunswick, ME

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:06 12:06 PM

11:06 11:06 AM

1 h behind Brunswick, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,287

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Brunswick, ME Chicago, IL 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Brunswick, ME
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

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

Brunswick, ME is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Brunswick, ME. 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: $1,557 in Brunswick, ME 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 $2,678 per month in Brunswick, ME versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brunswick, ME runs roughly 19% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Brunswick, ME is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 – Brunswick, ME wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.