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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,678 in Attleboro, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,744 in Attleboro, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $4,811 in Attleboro, MA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 15% more expensive than Attleboro, MA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Attleboro, MA 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$19.73 $19.73

5.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$73.6 $73.6

33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.22 $12.22

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.52 $4.52

23.89%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.15 $2.15

42.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.77 $1.77

39.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.08 $6.08

17.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.03 $7.03

14.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.17 $1.17

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.35 $3.35

22.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.10 $3.10

80.97%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$5.02 $5.02

-10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$11.18 $11.18

27.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$12.33 $12.33

20.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$19.76 $19.76

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$7.11 $7.11

-27.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.39 $1.39

27.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.85 $5.85

-24.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.95 $5.95

-23.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$4.37 $4.37

-41.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.48 $2.48

10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.23 $3.23

-25.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.53 $1.53

71.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$11.05 $11.05

35.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$16.27 $16.27

-9.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.69 $1.69

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.04 $2.04

82.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.97 $1.97

25.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.95 $2.95

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.76 $1.76

-19.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$28.81 $28.81

-13.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.84 $0.84

26.19%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.6K $29.6K

7.71%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.6K $24.6K

5.95%

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

$185 $185

$315 $315

-41.36%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$73.8 $73.8

-16.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$66.3 $66.3

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$43.25 $43.25

73.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$14.93 $14.93

-1.47%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,528 $1,528

32.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$29.9K $29.9K

31.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$52.4 $52.4

23.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$32.92 $32.92

59.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$75.2 $75.2

30.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$109 $109

35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$2,073 $2,073

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,320 $1,320

20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,274 $2,274

102.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$1,883 $1,883

47.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$3,651 $3,651

42.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Attleboro, MA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $2,073 in Attleboro, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 43% 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: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $74.0 in Attleboro, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $424 per month, with Attleboro, MA cheaper across the board.

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 Attleboro, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Attleboro, MA differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($3,077 vs $2,678 including rent). Attleboro, MA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chicago, IL pays 43% more on average, 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $2,073 in Attleboro, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,528 in Attleboro, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Attleboro, MA – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $98.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Attleboro, 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 Attleboro, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.