Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Carlisle, PA: $2,644 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

128

Cost of Living Index in Carlisle, PA
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Carlisle, PA Living Index
147

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

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Carlisle, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,644

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,644 in Carlisle, PA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Carlisle, PA $2,644
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,989 in Carlisle, PA versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Carlisle, PA $3,989
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,335 in Carlisle, PA versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Carlisle, PA $5,335
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Carlisle, PA costs roughly 13% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Carlisle, PA 94% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.74 $26.74

$20.71 $20.71

29.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 $107

$89.2 $89.2

19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$13.19 $13.19

-10.46%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$5.66 $5.66

9.89%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$2.64 $2.64

23.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.28 $2.28

11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 $9.11

$6.87 $6.87

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$8.84 $8.84

11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.25 $1.25

5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.72 $3.72

11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.39 $5.39

29.50%

Eggs

$5.80 $5.80

$4.74 $4.74

22.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.76 $16.76

$13.84 $13.84

21.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.84 $16.84

$14.40 $14.40

16.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.34 $18.34

$18.38 $18.38

-0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$5.22 $5.22

32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.06 $4.06

20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.97 $4.97

19.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.67 $2.67

8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.66 $2.66

40.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.24 $2.24

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.13 $3.13

-15.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 $14.00

$13.82 $13.82

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.13 $16.13

$14.88 $14.88

8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.54 $2.54

31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 $5.63

$3.51 $3.51

60.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 $53.2

$73.5 $73.5

-27.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.18 $3.18

24.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 $1.39

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.67 $24.67

$25.03 $25.03

-1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-0.85%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.73%

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

$213 $213

$194 $194

9.47%

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

$80.8 $80.8

$69.5 $69.5

16.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 $78.3

$61.6 $61.6

26.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.01 $41.01

$47.90 $47.90

-14.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$17.81 $17.81

-0.06%

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

$1,392 $1,392

$1,794 $1,794

-22.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.6K $41.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

30.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 $70.5

$67.0 $67.0

5.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 $44.13

$52.1 $52.1

-15.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$102 $102

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$144 $144

-12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 $1,172

$2,526 $2,526

-53.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 $1,043

$1,578 $1,578

-33.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 $1,872

$4,738 $4,738

-60.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 $1,693

$2,693 $2,693

-37.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,698 $2,698

$4,190 $4,190

-35.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$2,768 $2,768

-15.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,573 $5,573

$4,931 $4,931

13.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for Carlisle, PA: 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

Carlisle, PA

$1K 39.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 51.3% $535

Groceries & Markets

Carlisle, PA

$512 19.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 12.6% $65

Eating Out

Carlisle, PA

$413 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 16.4% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Carlisle, PA

$372 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 12.5% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Carlisle, PA

$155 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 5.6% $8.7

Sport & Entertainment

Carlisle, PA

$77 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 9% $6.9

Getting Around

Carlisle, PA

$73 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 28% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,172 in Carlisle, PA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlisle, PA pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $107 in Carlisle, PA vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $447 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Carlisle, PA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:08 11:08 AM

10:08 10:08 AM

1 h behind Carlisle, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,682

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

Carlisle, PA Chicago, IL 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Carlisle, 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

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

Carlisle, PA is cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and leisure. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Carlisle, PA, 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: $1,172 in Carlisle, PA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $89 versus $107 in Carlisle, PA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,644 per month in Carlisle, PA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Carlisle, PA 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.