Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bangor, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangor, ME: $2,256 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 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
108

Cost of Living Index in Bangor, ME
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Bangor, ME Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bangor, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,256

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bangor, ME

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 Bangor, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,256 in Bangor, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bangor, ME $2,256

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,339 in Bangor, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bangor, ME $3,339

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,423 in Bangor, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bangor, ME $4,423

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than Bangor, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Bangor, ME sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bangor, ME by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.90 $15.90

30.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$68.6 $68.6

30.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.22 $12.22

7.94%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.58 $5.58

1.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.47 $2.47

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.95 $4.95

38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.39 $7.39

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.12 $1.12

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.81 $4.81

-22.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.90 $1.90

183.68%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.05 $4.05

17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.64 $13.64

1.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.91 $8.91

61.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.11 $19.11

-3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.78 $4.78

9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 $1.50

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.84 $5.84

-30.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.84 $6.84

-27.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.41 $2.41

10.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.75 $3.75

-29.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.71 $1.71

30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.65 $1.65

89.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.04 $10.04

37.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.71 $14.71

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.93 $1.93

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.64 $2.64

32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$29.84 $29.84

146.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.14 $2.14

-35.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$10.96 $10.96

128.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.92 $0.92

30.43%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$23.7K $23.7K

48.10%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.11%

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

$194 $194

$229 $229

-15.17%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.7 $51.7

34.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$79.3 $79.3

-22.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$49.24 $49.24

-2.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$11.95 $11.95

128.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.79 $10.79

65.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,507 $1,507

19.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.8 $52.8

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$29.41 $29.41

77.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$76.9 $76.9

32.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$66.0 $66.0

117.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,042 $1,042

142.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$979 $979

61.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,866 $1,866

153.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,665 $1,665

61.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,011 $2,011

108.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,992 $1,992

38.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,835 $4,835

1.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.49

4.93%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bangor, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bangor, ME

$979 43.4% 38% $599

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bangor, ME

$402 17.8% 10.1% $45

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bangor, ME

$292 12.9% 15.5% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bangor, ME

$360 16% 10.7% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bangor, ME

$101 4.5% 38.2% $63

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bangor, ME

$51 2.3% 44.9% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bangor, ME

$71 3.1% 15.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,042 in Bangor, ME. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $69 in Bangor, ME. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $402 – making Bangor, ME the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bangor, ME

🕒 Local time

00:29 12:29 AM

01:29 1:29 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

31,753

💱 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 Bangor, ME 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bangor, ME

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 Bangor, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than Bangor, ME, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $3,384 in Bangor, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bangor, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,042 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $69 in Bangor, ME. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,256 in Bangor, ME. That makes Bangor, ME about 26% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,256 in Bangor, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bangor, ME – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Bangor, ME is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 26% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.