Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Abingdon, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Abingdon, MD: $2,861 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Abingdon, MD
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Abingdon, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Abingdon, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,861

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Abingdon, MD

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Abingdon, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,861 in Abingdon, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Abingdon, MD $2,861

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,984 in Abingdon, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Abingdon, MD $3,984

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,107 in Abingdon, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Abingdon, MD $5,107

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Abingdon, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Abingdon, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Abingdon, MD by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$22.47 $22.47

-9.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$70.1 $70.1

26.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.83 $11.83

8.62%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.35 $5.35

8.04%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.53 $2.53

8.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.23 $1.23

83.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.12 $5.12

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.08 $8.08

14.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.16 $1.16

8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.77 $3.77

-5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.95 $3.95

36.20%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.43 $4.43

2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$17.19 $17.19

-20.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.12 $14.12

-0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$23.24 $23.24

-22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.35 $4.35

18.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.91 $0.91

117.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.02 $4.02

-3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.12 $4.12

17.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.16 $2.16

30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.73 $2.73

-2.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.79 $1.79

15.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.54 $2.54

19.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$14.79 $14.79

-6.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.82 $17.82

-15.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.68 $1.68

56.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.29 $3.29

4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.04 $5.04

-37.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.02 $3.02

-43.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$34.53 $34.53

-27.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.98 $0.98

30.61%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$32.7K $32.7K

9.57%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$39.5K $39.5K

-32.09%

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

$192 $192

$209 $209

-8.10%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$39.09 $39.09

78.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$77.8 $77.8

-20.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.18 $16.18

10.20%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$3,140 $3,140

-42.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$64.2K $64.2K

-36.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$85.9 $85.9

-22.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$56.7 $56.7

-9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$139 $139

-25.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$152 $152

-6.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,518 $1,518

66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,512 $1,512

7.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,225 $2,225

117.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,156 $2,156

26.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$7,327 $7,327

-32.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.99

-3.00%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Abingdon, MD: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Abingdon, MD

$1.5K 52.9% 6.7% $109

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Abingdon, MD

$439 15.3% 0.1% $0.4

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Abingdon, MD

$336 11.8% 2.3% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Abingdon, MD

$326 11.4% 0.6% $2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Abingdon, MD

$195 6.8% 19.4% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Abingdon, MD

$20 * 0.7% 79.1% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Abingdon, MD

$32 * 1.1% 61.2% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,518 in Abingdon, MD. 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 49% higher in Abingdon, MD, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $70 in Abingdon, MD. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $439 in Abingdon, MD – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Abingdon, MD

🕒 Local time

22:39 10:39 PM

23:39 11:39 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

31,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Abingdon, MD 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Abingdon, MD

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

Chicago, IL vs Abingdon, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,861 in Abingdon, MD – Abingdon, MD comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,291 in Abingdon, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abingdon, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,518 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,140 in Abingdon, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,861 in Abingdon, MD. That makes Abingdon, MD about 7% cheaper.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,861 in Abingdon, MD to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.