Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bel Air, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Bel Air, MD: $2,662 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Bel Air, MD
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Bel Air, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bel Air, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,662 in Bel Air, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bel Air, MD $2,662

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,745 in Bel Air, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bel Air, MD $3,745

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,829 in Bel Air, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bel Air, MD $4,829

Chicago, IL costs about 14% more than Bel Air, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Bel Air, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bel Air, MD by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.04 $16.04

29.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$68.3 $68.3

30.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.91 $9.91

33.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.31 $5.31

6.59%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.71 $1.71

54.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.74 $1.74

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.52 $6.52

5.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.35 $6.35

39.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.47 $3.47

7.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.43 $4.43

21.67%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.23 $4.23

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.58 $12.58

10.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.47 $11.47

25.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.82 $16.82

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.10 $5.10

2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.40 $4.40

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.59 $4.59

8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.83 $2.83

-5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.98 $2.98

-10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.21 $2.21

1.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.22 $2.22

40.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.02 $10.02

37.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.86 $14.86

0.13%

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

$3.42 $3.42

2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.2 $60.2

22.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.05 $3.05

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.76 $1.76

-21.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.40 $30.40

-17.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.11%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.02%

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

$194 $194

$204 $204

-4.61%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.7 $58.7

18.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.1 $70.1

-12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$45.72 $45.72

4.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$37.70 $37.70

-27.48%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.37 $14.37

23.94%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,551 $1,551

15.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.6K $24.6K

29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$48.68 $48.68

37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.26 $44.26

17.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$82.9 $82.9

22.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$107 $107

34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,505 $1,505

67.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,369 $1,369

15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,909 $2,909

62.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,989 $1,989

35.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,637 $2,637

58.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,109 $2,109

31.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,055 $5,055

-2.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bel Air, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bel Air, MD

$1.4K 51.5% 13.2% $209

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bel Air, MD

$397 14.9% 11.3% $50

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bel Air, MD

$281 10.6% 18.6% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bel Air, MD

$333 12.5% 2.2% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bel Air, MD

$127 4.8% 22.4% $37

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bel Air, MD

$80 3% 14.1% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bel Air, MD

$74 2.8% 10.8% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,505 in Bel Air, MD. 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 $68 in Bel Air, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $397 – making Bel Air, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bel Air, MD

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

10:06 10:06 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,253

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Bel Air, MD 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,662 in Bel Air, MD – Bel Air, MD comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,992 in Bel Air, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bel Air, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,505 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,662 in Bel Air, MD. That makes Bel Air, MD about 12% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Bel Air, MD. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bel Air, MD, where all-in costs run around $2,662, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Bel Air, MD it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Bel Air, MD is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 12% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.