Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 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
152

Cost of Living Index in Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,184

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bethesda, MD $3,184

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,988 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bethesda, MD $4,988

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,792 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bethesda, MD $6,792

Chicago, IL is about 5% cheaper than Bethesda, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Bethesda, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bethesda, MD by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.45 $22.45

-7.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$101 $101

-11.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.79 $10.79

22.24%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.39 $5.39

5.01%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.95 $2.95

-10.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.42 $2.42

-5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.07 $7.07

-2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.77 $8.77

0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.21 $1.21

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.18 $4.18

-11.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.94 $3.94

36.80%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.59 $4.59

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.66 $16.66

-16.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.83 $15.83

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$23.19 $23.19

-20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.70 $5.70

-8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.35 $1.35

46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.21 $4.21

-3.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.16 $4.16

19.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.23 $2.23

19.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.61 $2.61

1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.36 $2.36

-5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.45 $2.45

27.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.45 $9.45

46.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.13 $18.13

-17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.91 $2.91

20.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.02 $3.02

-19.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$102 $102

-27.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.99 $3.99

-20.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.27 $1.27

9.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.51 $24.51

2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$23.0K $23.0K

52.44%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.0K $24.0K

11.16%

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

$194 $194

$162 $162

20.13%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$38.86 $38.86

78.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$61.1 $61.1

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$106 $106

-54.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$30.35 $30.35

-9.92%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.29 $16.29

9.33%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,830 $1,830

-1.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$35.4K $35.4K

-9.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.3 $54.3

23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$56.2 $56.2

-7.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

-0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$152 $152

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,260 $2,260

11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,683 $1,683

-6.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,962 $3,962

19.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,285 $3,285

-18.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,989 $5,989

-30.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$5,359 $5,359

-48.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$8,610 $8,610

-42.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.79

0.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bethesda, MD

$1.7K 52.9% 6.7% $105

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bethesda, MD

$462 14.5% 3.3% $15

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bethesda, MD

$351 11% 1.8% $6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bethesda, MD

$262 8.2% 19.6% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bethesda, MD

$164 5.1% 0.1% $0.2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bethesda, MD

$124 3.9% 32.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bethesda, MD

$138 4.3% 65.6% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,260 in Bethesda, MD. 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 75% higher in Bethesda, MD. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Bethesda, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $462 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🕒 Local time

19:02 7:02 PM

20:02 8:02 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

60,858

💱 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 Bethesda, MD 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Bethesda, MD is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,777 in Bethesda, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bethesda, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,260 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Bethesda, MD. 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 $3,184 in Bethesda, MD. That makes Chicago, IL about 5% cheaper.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,184 in Bethesda, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,184 in Bethesda, MD. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethesda, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.