Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,414 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,700 in Cambridge, MA versus $4,628 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,986 in Cambridge, MA versus $6,179 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 43% more expensive than Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 229% above, Chicago, IL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 $17.08

$20.91 $20.91

-18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$98.1 $98.1

0.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$11.86 $11.86

2.02%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$5.60 $5.60

-1.61%

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

$3.07 $3.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.47 $2.47

-4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.14 $7.14

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.08 $8.08

-1.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.05 $1.05

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.11 $4.11

-1.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$5.61 $5.61

16.40%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.51 $4.51

6.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$14.27 $14.27

7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 $13.41

$14.89 $14.89

-9.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.86 $20.86

$19.19 $19.19

8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.14 $5.14

33.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.77 $1.77

5.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$4.39 $4.39

44.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$4.56 $4.56

38.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.54 $2.54

26.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.75 $2.75

25.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.42 $2.42

-0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.62 $2.62

-3.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.50 $13.50

$14.92 $14.92

-9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.45 $16.45

$14.80 $14.80

11.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.46 $2.46

-30.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.73 $3.73

50.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.48 $2.48

-2.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 $88.8

$75.4 $75.4

17.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.18 $3.18

-19.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.42 $1.42

24.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.63 $27.63

$24.94 $24.94

10.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.06 $1.06

-13.21%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-5.91%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

-2.94%

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

$157 $157

$185 $185

-15.28%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$61.7 $61.7

-14.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 $55.9

$66.9 $66.9

-16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$75.2 $75.2

33.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.11 $30.11

$13.08 $13.08

130.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 $15.36

$14.71 $14.71

4.42%

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

$2,743 $2,743

$2,020 $2,020

35.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$39.4K $39.4K

-30.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$64.6 $64.6

1.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 $44.25

$52.5 $52.5

-15.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.8 $97.8

4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$148 $148

-1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 $2,888

$2,313 $2,313

24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,827 $2,827

$1,590 $1,590

77.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,029 $5,029

$4,608 $4,608

9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,551 $3,551

$2,779 $2,779

27.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 $5,085

$3,922 $3,922

29.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,047 $5,047

$2,613 $2,613

93.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,341 $6,341

$5,217 $5,217

21.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.6

-2.58%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,888 in Cambridge, MA and $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 22% 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: $98.0 in Cambridge, MA vs $98.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $484 vs $447, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cambridge, MA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chicago, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cambridge, MA pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,888 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Cambridge, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $98.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chicago, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,077 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chicago, IL hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA and Chicago, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.