Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bellbrook, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellbrook, OH: $2,035 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 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
98

Cost of Living Index in Bellbrook, OH
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Bellbrook, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Bellbrook, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bellbrook, OH

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 Bellbrook, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,035 in Bellbrook, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Bellbrook, OH $2,035

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,377 in Bellbrook, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Bellbrook, OH $3,377

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,719 in Bellbrook, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Bellbrook, OH $4,719

Chicago, IL costs about 51% more than Bellbrook, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Bellbrook, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Bellbrook, OH by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$15.13 $15.13

34.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$56.0 $56.0

58.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.12 $10.12

26.98%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.67 $4.67

23.77%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.53 $1.53

79.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.93 $1.93

17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.37 $4.37

57.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$2.98 $2.98

210.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.79 $0.79

59.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.20 $3.20

10.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.50 $4.50

19.56%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.62 $4.62

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.86 $10.86

25.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$9.68 $9.68

45.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$21.99 $21.99

-17.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.92 $5.92

-12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 $1.50

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.30 $4.30

-9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$7.03 $7.03

-31.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.63 $3.63

-22.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.26 $4.26

-37.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.01 $2.01

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.02 $3.02

0.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.25 $9.25

50.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.16 $12.16

23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.98 $1.98

32.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.59 $3.59

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.93 $1.93

25.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$56.0 $56.0

34.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.88 $4.88

-35.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.81 $1.81

-6.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$51.0 $51.0

-51.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.02 $1.02

25.49%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

32.22%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

0.12%

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

$192 $192

$260 $260

-26.09%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$55.3 $55.3

25.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$54.7 $54.7

13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$34.03 $34.03

40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.55 $12.55

42.07%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,394 $1,394

30.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$15.7K $15.7K

159.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$53.8 $53.8

23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$40.42 $40.42

27.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$70.0 $70.0

47.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$95.1 $95.1

50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,223 $1,223

106.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$744 $744

118.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,801 $1,801

168.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,002 $2,002

36.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,133 $3,133

32.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,218 $2,218

22.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,593 $5,593

-11.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.5

4.31%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Bellbrook, OH: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Bellbrook, OH

$744 36.5% 54.1% $878

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Bellbrook, OH

$419 20.6% 4.5% $20

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Bellbrook, OH

$249 12.2% 27.6% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Bellbrook, OH

$370 18.2% 14.2% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Bellbrook, OH

$117 5.7% 28.7% $47

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Bellbrook, OH

$78 3.8% 19.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Bellbrook, OH

$59 2.9% 29.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,223 in Bellbrook, OH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Bellbrook, OH, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $56 in Bellbrook, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $419 – making Bellbrook, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bellbrook, OH

🕒 Local time

09:48 9:48 AM

10:48 10:48 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

7,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bellbrook, OH 390 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Bellbrook, OH

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 Bellbrook, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 51% more than Bellbrook, OH, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,053 in Bellbrook, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bellbrook, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,223 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $56 in Bellbrook, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,035 in Bellbrook, OH. That makes Bellbrook, OH about 34% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,035 in Bellbrook, OH. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Bellbrook, OH is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 34% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.