Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Belfast, ME: $2,589 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Belfast, ME
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Belfast, ME Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Belfast, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,589 in Belfast, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Belfast, ME $2,589

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,813 in Belfast, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Belfast, ME $3,813

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,037 in Belfast, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Belfast, ME $5,037

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Belfast, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Belfast, ME sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Belfast, ME by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.70 $19.70

3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$74.4 $74.4

19.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.57 $11.57

11.06%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.40 $5.40

7.04%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.62 $2.62

4.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.04 $2.04

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.07 $6.07

13.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.07 $7.07

30.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.06 $1.06

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.62 $3.62

-1.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.50 $4.50

19.56%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.21 $4.21

8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.14 $12.14

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.84 $10.84

29.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.42 $17.42

3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.11 $5.11

0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.22 $4.22

-8.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.05 $4.05

19.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.89 $2.89

-2.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.03 $3.03

-11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.20 $2.20

-5.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.14 $2.14

41.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.06 $10.06

38.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.83 $14.83

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.82 $1.82

44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.39 $3.39

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.12 $2.12

14.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$61.4 $61.4

22.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.82 $3.82

-17.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.66 $1.66

2.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$31.77 $31.77

-21.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.98 $0.98

30.61%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.3K $27.3K

31.31%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.57%

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

$192 $192

$200 $200

-3.90%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$57.5 $57.5

21.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$68.6 $68.6

-9.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$41.30 $41.30

15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.84 $12.84

38.86%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,362 $1,362

33.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

88.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$53.5 $53.5

23.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$41.34 $41.34

24.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$87.7 $87.7

17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$113 $113

26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,605 $1,605

57.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,269 $1,269

27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,525 $2,525

91.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,138 $2,138

27.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,816 $2,816

47.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,334 $2,334

16.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Belfast, ME: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Belfast, ME

$1.3K 49% 21.7% $352

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Belfast, ME

$392 15.1% 10.8% $47

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Belfast, ME

$320 12.4% 6.9% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Belfast, ME

$326 12.6% 0.6% $2.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Belfast, ME

$133 5.1% 18.7% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Belfast, ME

$82 3.2% 15.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Belfast, ME

$67 2.6% 19.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,605 in Belfast, 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 $74 in Belfast, ME. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $392 – making Belfast, ME the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Belfast, ME

🕒 Local time

06:30 6:30 AM

07:30 7:30 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

6,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Belfast, ME 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Belfast, 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 Belfast, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,884 in Belfast, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belfast, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,605 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Belfast, ME. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,362 in Belfast, ME. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,589 in Belfast, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Belfast, ME is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.