Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Beverly, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Beverly, MA: $2,768 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL, United States
Beverly, MA, United States
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Beverly, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,768
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Beverly, MA

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 Beverly, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,768 in Beverly, MA, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,037
  • Beverly, MA $2,768

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,113 in Beverly, MA, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,518
  • Beverly, MA $4,113

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,458 in Beverly, MA, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $5,999
  • Beverly, MA $5,458

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Beverly, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Beverly, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Beverly, MA by 103%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.71 $20.71
$24.71 $24.71
-16.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.2 $89.2
$108 $108
-17.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 $13.19
$14.75 $14.75
-10.58%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$5.91 $5.91
-4.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$3.04 $3.04
-13.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$2.41 $2.41
-5.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.87 $6.87
$6.98 $6.98
-1.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.84 $8.84
$7.88 $7.88
12.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 $1.25
$1.08 $1.08
15.74%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$4.59 $4.59
-18.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$5.59 $5.59
-3.58%
Eggs
$4.74 $4.74
$3.99 $3.99
18.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.84 $13.84
$10.11 $10.11
36.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.40 $14.40
$10.17 $10.17
41.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 $18.38
$8.86 $8.86
107.45%
Apples (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$4.62 $4.62
12.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.72 $1.72
15.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$6.09 $6.09
-33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$6.87 $6.87
-27.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$6.15 $6.15
-56.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 $2.66
$3.71 $3.71
-28.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.31 $3.31
-32.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.57 $2.57
21.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 $13.82
$12.01 $12.01
15.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$12.09 $12.09
23.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.89 $1.89
34.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 $3.51
$2.61 $2.61
34.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.15 $2.15
13.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.5 $73.5
$60.1 $60.1
22.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 $3.18
$2.05 $2.05
55.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.51 $1.51
-7.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.03 $25.03
$11.02 $11.02
127.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.01 $1.01
18.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$27.4K $27.4K
27.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$26.2K $26.2K
1.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 $194
$225 $225
-13.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$69.9 $69.9
-0.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.6 $61.6
$77.0 $77.0
-19.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.90 $47.90
$42.52 $42.52
12.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.34 $27.34
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.81 $17.81
$13.79 $13.79
29.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,794 $1,794
$1,225 $1,225
46.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.9K $31.9K
$21.6K $21.6K
47.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 $67.0
$52.7 $52.7
27.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$79.2 $79.2
-34.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$101 $101
0.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$135 $135
6.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 $2,526
$2,605 $2,605
-3.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 $1,578
$1,294 $1,294
21.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,738 $4,738
$2,520 $2,520
88.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,693 $2,693
$2,109 $2,109
27.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,190 $4,190
$2,723 $2,723
53.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,768 $2,768
$2,090 $2,090
32.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
Beverly, MA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,931 $4,931
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
6.5
4.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Beverly, MA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.6K
Beverly, MA
$1.3K 18% $284
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$447
Beverly, MA
$404 9.8% $44
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$345
Beverly, MA
$385 11.7% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$326
Beverly, MA
$372 14.1% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$164
Beverly, MA
$165 0.8% $1.3
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$93
Beverly, MA
$78 16.1% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$84
Beverly, MA
$70 16.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,605 in Beverly, MA. 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 $108 in Beverly, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $404 in Beverly, MA – so Beverly, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 Beverly, MA
🕒 Local time
10:48 10:48 AM
11:48 11:48 AM
1 h ahead of Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
42,670
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL Beverly, MA 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • Beverly, MA

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 Beverly, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chicago, IL or Beverly, MA?
Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Beverly, MA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chicago, IL and in Beverly, MA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,152 in Beverly, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chicago, IL compared to Beverly, MA?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,605 in Beverly, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Are groceries more expensive in Chicago, IL or in Beverly, MA?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Chicago, IL and in Beverly, MA?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $108 in Beverly, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Chicago, IL or in Beverly, MA?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,768 in Beverly, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chicago, IL or Beverly, MA?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,768 in Beverly, MA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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