Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ashland, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
176

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, MA
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Ashland, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,638

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Ashland, MA $3,638

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,720 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Ashland, MA $4,720

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,802 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Ashland, MA $5,802

Chicago, IL is about 17% cheaper than Ashland, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Ashland, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Ashland, MA by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.79 $19.79

4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.3 $76.3

16.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.21 $13.21

-0.15%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.06 $5.06

11.86%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.87 $2.87

-8.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.43 $2.43

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.98 $5.98

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.04 $9.04

-2.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.46 $4.46

-16.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$16.37 $16.37

-67.07%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.96 $5.96

-20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$17.97 $17.97

-22.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.73 $10.73

34.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.82 $18.82

-2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.52 $5.52

-5.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.29 $4.29

-53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.25 $3.25

24.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.11 $3.11

59.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.18 $2.18

22.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.40 $2.40

10.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.62 $2.62

-14.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.85 $2.85

9.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.66 $13.66

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$17.34 $17.34

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.89 $1.89

34.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.72 $2.72

29.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.89 $5.89

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

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

$28.2K $28.2K

24.07%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.24%

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

$194 $194

$180 $180

8.27%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$37.13 $37.13

87.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.1 $59.1

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$76.1 $76.1

-37.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$44.12 $44.12

-38.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.37 $12.37

43.98%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,104 $2,104

-14.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$38.59 $38.59

73.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$16.15 $16.15

222.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,102 $2,102

20.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,316 $2,316

-31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,877 $2,877

64.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,820 $2,820

-4.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,069 $5,069

-17.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,390 $4,390

-36.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,849 $7,849

-37.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ashland, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Ashland, MA

$2.3K 63.7% 46.8% $738

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Ashland, MA

$496 13.6% 10.9% $49

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Ashland, MA

$328 9% 5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Ashland, MA

$276 7.6% 15.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Ashland, MA

$116 3.2% 29.4% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Ashland, MA

$5.9 * 0.2% 93.7% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Ashland, MA

$101 2.8% 20.7% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,102 in Ashland, 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 59% higher in Ashland, MA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Ashland, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $496 in Ashland, MA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ashland, MA

🕒 Local time

16:34 4:34 PM

17:34 5:34 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

21,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Ashland, MA costs about 20% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,457 in Ashland, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ashland, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. That makes Chicago, IL about 17% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,104 in Ashland, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,638 in Ashland, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ashland, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.