Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,767 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,767 in Amherst, MA.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Amherst, MA $2,767

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $4,275 in Amherst, MA.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Amherst, MA $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $5,783 in Amherst, MA.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Amherst, MA $5,783

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 10% more expensive than in Amherst, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Amherst, MA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.05 $20.05

3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$70.8 $70.8

26.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.90 $8.90

48.20%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.79 $4.79

18.16%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.69 $2.69

-1.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.06 $2.06

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.97 $5.97

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$10.41 $10.41

-15.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.21 $3.21

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.00 $7.00

-23.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.69 $4.69

1.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.50 $16.50

-16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.78 $15.78

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.29 $18.29

0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.70 $4.70

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 $1.45

36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.25 $3.25

24.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.60 $4.60

8.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.27 $3.27

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.71 $3.71

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.30 $2.30

-2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.02 $2.02

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.69 $10.69

29.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.14 $12.14

22.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.98 $1.98

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.92 $3.92

-10.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.29 $1.29

88.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$28.34 $28.34

159.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.56 $3.56

-10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.42 $1.42

-2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.78 $29.78

-15.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.28%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.17%

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

$194 $194

$213 $213

-8.70%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.5 $56.5

22.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$87.9 $87.9

-29.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$121 $121

-60.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$6.90 $6.90

296.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.65 $10.65

67.23%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,466 $1,466

22.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.2K $17.2K

86.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$45.22 $45.22

48.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.24 $40.24

29.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.6 $91.6

10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$110 $110

31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,821 $1,821

38.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,346 $1,346

17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,829 $3,829

23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,708 $2,708

-0.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,969 $3,969

5.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,035 $4,035

-31.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,660 $4,660

5.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.1

11.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7% 14.7% $232

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7% 3.1% $14

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4% 8.9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9% 9.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7% 21.4% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6% 52.7% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2% 70.7% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $71 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $434 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🕒 Local time

04:40 4:40 AM

05:40 5:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Amherst, MA 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Amherst, MA is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Chicago, IL, 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: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,794 in Chicago, IL versus $1,466 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA 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.

Expats usually find Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.