Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,513 in Annapolis, MD, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 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
170

Cost of Living Index in Annapolis, MD
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Annapolis, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Annapolis, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,513

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $3,513 in Annapolis, MD.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Annapolis, MD $3,513

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $4,964 in Annapolis, MD.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Annapolis, MD $4,964

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $6,415 in Annapolis, MD.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Annapolis, MD $6,415

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 14% less than in Annapolis, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Annapolis, MD 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$30.18 $30.18

-31.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.1 $79.1

12.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.89 $9.89

33.37%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.50 $5.50

2.91%

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

$1.99 $1.99

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.79 $6.79

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.96 $8.96

-1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.11 $1.11

12.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.99 $2.99

24.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.47 $5.47

-1.46%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.28 $6.28

-24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.69 $9.69

42.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$7.74 $7.74

86.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.94 $14.94

23.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.82 $5.82

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.94 $1.94

2.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.67 $4.67

-13.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$7.32 $7.32

-32.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.33 $4.33

-38.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.01 $5.01

-46.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.71 $2.71

-17.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.62 $1.62

93.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.81 $9.81

40.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.36 $14.36

3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.69 $3.69

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.07 $3.07

-20.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$99.6 $99.6

-26.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.95 $29.95

-16.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

14.40%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.50%

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

$194 $194

$158 $158

23.43%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$52.4 $52.4

32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$96.8 $96.8

-36.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$90.6 $90.6

-47.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.79 $11.79

51.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,699 $1,699

5.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.4K $19.4K

64.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$42.63 $42.63

57.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$25.03 $25.03

108.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$90.2 $90.2

12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,706 $1,706

48.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,041 $2,041

-22.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,400 $3,400

39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,141 $3,141

-14.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,726 $4,726

-11.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,299 $3,299

-16.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,466 $5,466

-9.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.08

12.01%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Annapolis, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Annapolis, MD

$2K 58.1% 29.4% $463

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Annapolis, MD

$394 11.2% 11.8% $53

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Annapolis, MD

$408 11.6% 18.2% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Annapolis, MD

$307 8.7% 5.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Annapolis, MD

$126 3.6% 23.4% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Annapolis, MD

$123 3.5% 31.5% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Annapolis, MD

$114 3.3% 36.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,706 in Annapolis, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Annapolis, MD pays 11% 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 $79 in Annapolis, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $394 per month, with Annapolis, MD cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Annapolis, MD

🕒 Local time

02:03 2:03 AM

03:03 3:03 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

36,408

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

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

Chicago, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Annapolis, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Chicago, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Chicago, IL. 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: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,706 in Annapolis, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $3,513 in Annapolis, MD – Chicago, IL is about 14% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 26% less than in Annapolis, MD. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL 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.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Annapolis, MD on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.