Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Acton, MA: $3,185 and $3,193 a month, rent and utilities included.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
154

Cost of Living Index in Acton, MA
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Acton, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Acton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,193

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Acton, MA

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 Acton, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,193 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Acton, MA $3,193

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,790 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Acton, MA $4,790

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,388 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Acton, MA $6,388

Chicago, IL and Acton, MA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Acton, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Acton, MA by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$18.14 $18.14

18.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$95.9 $95.9

-7.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$13.47 $13.47

-2.00%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.44 $5.44

2.76%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.82 $2.82

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.70 $2.70

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$5.08 $5.08

39.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$7.81 $7.81

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.95 $0.95

34.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.29 $2.29

67.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.28 $5.28

-3.98%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.79 $4.79

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$11.13 $11.13

27.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.57 $14.57

0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$17.87 $17.87

4.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.46 $4.46

16.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.72 $1.72

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.85 $2.85

40.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.07 $4.07

22.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.93 $1.93

44.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.83 $2.83

-6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.93 $1.93

10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$13.62 $13.62

17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$9.12 $9.12

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.18 $2.18

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.28 $4.28

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.93 $0.93

33.33%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.7K $36.7K

1.20%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.86%

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

$192 $192

$316 $316

-39.17%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$60.8 $60.8

11.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$73.4 $73.4

-17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$24.68 $24.68

117.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$12.91 $12.91

37.88%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,857 $1,857

-16.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$29.9K $29.9K

5.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$57.5 $57.5

18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$38.97 $38.97

30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$80.7 $80.7

25.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$102 $102

40.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,698 $2,698

-11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,898 $1,898

-9.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,948 $2,948

58.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$3,557 $3,557

-23.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$9,016 $9,016

-45.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.64

1.96%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Acton, MA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Acton, MA

$1.9K 59.5% 10.9% $187

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Acton, MA

$354 * 11.1% 21.6% $97

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Acton, MA

$314 9.8% 11.1% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Acton, MA

$450 14.1% 40.3% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Acton, MA

$126 3.9% 23.2% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Acton, MA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Acton, MA

$51 1.6% 43.4% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,698 in Acton, MA. 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 84% higher in Acton, MA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $96.0 in Acton, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Chicago, IL vs $354 in Acton, MA – so Acton, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Acton, MA

🕒 Local time

09:47 9:47 AM

10:47 10:47 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

7,596

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Acton, MA 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Acton, MA

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 Acton, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,789 in Acton, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Acton, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $96.0 in Acton, MA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $3,193 in Acton, MA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,185 versus $3,193 in Acton, MA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acton, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.