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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,106 in Chicago, IL versus $3,031 in Abington, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,599 in Chicago, IL versus $4,149 in Abington, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,092 in Chicago, IL versus $5,268 in Abington, MA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 2% more expensive than in Abington, MA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 126% above, Abington, MA 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 $19.86

$18.06 $18.06

9.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 $88.3

$94.6 $94.6

-6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 $13.23

$13.27 $13.27

-0.30%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$4.28 $4.28

36.92%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$2.31 $2.31

12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.22 $2.22

4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$5.10 $5.10

37.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 $9.25

$7.11 $7.11

30.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.08 $1.08

24.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.88 $3.88

7.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$5.26 $5.26

4.56%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$3.85 $3.85

22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 $14.72

$11.26 $11.26

30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$14.29 $14.29

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.69 $19.69

$17.98 $17.98

9.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.21 $4.21

33.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.73 $1.73

13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.63 $4.63

-12.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.67 $5.67

-10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.15 $3.15

-6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.98 $2.98

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.02 $3.02

-24.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.23 $2.23

39.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.19 $16.19

$13.26 $13.26

22.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$13.66 $13.66

11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.09 $2.09

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.15 $4.15

-16.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.06 $2.06

23.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.03 $3.03

4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.69 $1.69

-18.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.66 $22.66

$30.47 $30.47

-25.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.97 $0.97

23.71%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$36.2K $36.2K

2.13%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.27%

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

$190 $190

$295 $295

-35.82%

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

$68.5 $68.5

$99.8 $99.8

-31.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$84.8 $84.8

-28.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$42.13 $42.13

51.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$14.98 $14.98

22.03%

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

$1,525 $1,525

$1,826 $1,826

-16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$30.4K $30.4K

5.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$57.3 $57.3

11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 $54.4

$38.14 $38.14

42.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$80.5 $80.5

24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$102 $102

50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 $2,421

$1,881 $1,881

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 $1,690

$1,609 $1,609

5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,584 $4,584

$2,489 $2,489

84.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 $2,782

$2,107 $2,107

32.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 $4,170

$2,753 $2,753

51.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 $2,739

$2,383 $2,383

14.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,777 $4,777

$5,597 $5,597

-14.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.33%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: August 29, 2026

Last update for Abington, MA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,421 in Chicago, IL and $1,881 in Abington, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abington, MA pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88.0 in Chicago, IL vs $95.0 in Abington, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $465 vs $424, with Abington, MA 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

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

Abington, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Abington, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Abington, MA. 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: $2,421 in Chicago, IL versus $1,881 in Abington, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,525 in Chicago, IL versus $1,826 in Abington, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Abington, MA – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $88.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Abington, MA 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 Abington, MA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Abington, MA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Abington, MA 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 Abington, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.