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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,653 in Baltimore, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $4,041 in Baltimore, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,429 in Baltimore, MD.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 16% more expensive than Baltimore, MD, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Baltimore, MD 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$19.62 $19.62

6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$80.7 $80.7

21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.14 $10.14

16.96%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.94 $4.94

13.36%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.33 $2.33

31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.21 $2.21

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.92 $5.92

20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.63 $7.63

5.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.78 $3.78

8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.61 $4.61

21.69%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.45 $4.45

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$13.28 $13.28

7.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$9.77 $9.77

52.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$16.19 $16.19

18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$6.83 $6.83

-24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.58 $1.58

12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$7.06 $7.06

-37.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.27 $5.27

-13.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.70 $2.70

-5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.03 $3.03

-9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.41 $2.41

0.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.77 $2.77

-5.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$12.70 $12.70

17.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$15.05 $15.05

-1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.36 $2.36

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.07 $4.07

-8.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.53 $2.53

-1.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$75.8 $75.8

-0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.78 $1.78

78.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.35 $1.35

5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$23.93 $23.93

4.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.90 $0.90

17.78%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

24.86%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.50%

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

$185 $185

$174 $174

6.37%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$57.9 $57.9

6.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$80.1 $80.1

-16.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$56.7 $56.7

32.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

$30.13 $30.13

-56.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$15.10 $15.10

-2.58%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,299 $1,299

55.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

16.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$50.9 $50.9

27.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$73.6 $73.6

-28.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$84.9 $84.9

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$111 $111

33.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,882 $1,882

22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,328 $1,328

19.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$3,284 $3,284

40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,274 $2,274

22.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,450 $2,450

60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,346 $2,346

11.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$4,227 $4,227

23.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.59

0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,882 in Baltimore, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 23% 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 $81.0 in Baltimore, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $427 per month, with Baltimore, MD 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 Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baltimore, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chicago, IL pays 23% 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 $1,882 in Baltimore, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Baltimore, MD – a meal for two runs $81.0 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 $2,000. Baltimore, MD is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baltimore, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,653 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baltimore, MD hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baltimore, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.