Cost of Living Comparison Between Chatham and Lincoln Cost of Living Comparison Between Chatham and Lincoln

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Chatham vs $2,288 in Lincoln, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,907 per month in Chatham vs $3,366 in Lincoln, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,968 per month in Chatham vs $4,444 in Lincoln, rent included.

Chatham costs about 24% more than Lincoln, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chatham and Lincoln sit above the global median – Chatham by 112%, Lincoln by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.49 £20.43

$27.59 £20.51

-0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 £71.1

$76.0 £56.5

25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 £7.05

$10.34 £7.68

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$3.43 £2.55

$5.41 £4.02

-36.60%

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

$3.43 £2.55

$2.26 £1.68

51.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.57 £1.17

-12.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$6.91 £5.13

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 £5.13

$6.59 £4.90

4.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.48 £1.10

-3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.47 £1.09

-6.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 £1.98

$1.32 £0.98

101.52%

Eggs

$3.62 £2.69

$3.40 £2.52

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 £7.34

$9.15 £6.80

7.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 £5.89

$9.08 £6.75

-12.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 £9.70

$11.87 £8.82

9.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 £2.27

$3.86 £2.87

-20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.24 £0.92

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 £2.14

$2.85 £2.12

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$3.07 £2.28

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 £1.05

$0.98 £0.73

44.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.64 £1.22

-15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 £0.70

$1.24 £0.92

-24.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.44 £1.07

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.72 £10.94

$18.84 £14.00

-21.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 £10.07

$10.21 £7.59

32.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 £1.75

$3.87 £2.87

-39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.16 £2.35

5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.77 £2.06

$4.42 £3.28

-37.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 £65.3

0.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 £4.46

$4.13 £3.07

45.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.53 £1.14

14.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 £11.13

$47.13 £35.03

-68.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.98 £1.47

-6.06%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$34.1K £25.4K

13.77%

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

$41.9K £31.2K

$40.8K £30.3K

2.65%

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

$228 £170

$313 £233

-27.09%

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

$19.32 £14.36

$15.51 £11.53

24.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.67 £33.21

$46.54 £34.60

-4.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.54 £35.34

$43.31 £32.19

9.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 £13.93

Cinema Ticket

$13.67 £10.16

$16.05 £11.93

-14.83%

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

$1,319 £980

$1,848 £1,374

-28.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K £19.1K

$20.8K £15.4K

23.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.3 £61.2

$108 £80.3

-23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 £36.87

$43.51 £32.34

14.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 £81.1

$78.6 £58.4

38.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 £74.4

$102 £75.5

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,217

$1,105 £822

48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 £1,144

$868 £645

77.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,524 £1,876

$1,948 £1,448

29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 £1,619

$1,466 £1,090

48.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,097 £6,018

$2,594 £1,928

212.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,372 £5,479

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,607 £1,938

$3,247 £2,414

-19.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.53

5.56

-0.54%

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

Last update for Chatham: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lincoln: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Chatham versus $1,105 in Lincoln. 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 25% higher in Lincoln, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Chatham versus $76.0 in Lincoln. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $285 – making Lincoln the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chatham vs Lincoln: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chatham costs about 24% more than Lincoln, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,268 per month in Chatham and $3,432 in Lincoln. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lincoln, 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 $2,845 in Chatham and $2,288 in Lincoln. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Lincoln. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lincoln, where all-in costs run around $2,288, than in Chatham at $2,845. In Lincoln it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chatham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lincoln – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lincoln. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chatham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.