Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bradford, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bradford, PA: $2,628 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Bradford, PA
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Bradford, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bradford, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bradford, PA

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 Bradford, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,628 in Bradford, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bradford, PA $2,628

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,728 in Bradford, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bradford, PA $3,728

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,828 in Bradford, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bradford, PA $4,828

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Bradford, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Bradford, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bradford, PA by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.73 $19.73

4.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.6 $50.6

76.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.06 $10.06

31.11%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.77 $5.77

-1.91%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.70 $2.70

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.20 $2.20

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.63 $5.63

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.91 $6.91

27.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.91 $0.91

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.21 $2.21

68.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.40 $3.40

58.53%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.61 $4.61

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.03 $13.03

6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.92 $9.92

45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.69 $15.69

17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.80 $4.80

8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 $1.51

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.24 $3.24

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.36 $3.36

47.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.71 $2.71

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.81 $2.81

-5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.99 $1.99

12.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.02 $2.02

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$7.14 $7.14

93.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.03 $8.03

85.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.00 $2.00

27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.07 $4.07

-13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.83 $1.83

32.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$56.1 $56.1

31.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.35 $5.35

-40.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.22 $2.22

-37.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$45.53 $45.53

-45.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.9K $33.9K

3.51%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.87%

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

$194 $194

$329 $329

-40.84%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.4 $50.4

37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$40.06 $40.06

53.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.66 $40.66

17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.17 $11.17

59.44%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,293 $1,293

38.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.9K $32.9K

-2.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$34.46 $34.46

94.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.68 $40.68

28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$118 $118

-13.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$80.1 $80.1

79.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$786 $786

221.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,282 $1,282

23.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,253 $1,253

278.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,103 $2,103

28.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,890 $2,890

44.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,310 $2,310

19.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,727 $3,727

32.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.52

4.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bradford, PA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bradford, PA

$1.3K 48.8% 18.7% $296

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bradford, PA

$342 13% 23.6% $105

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bradford, PA

$319 12.1% 7.6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bradford, PA

$419 16% 28.8% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bradford, PA

$123 4.7% 25.1% $41

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bradford, PA

$80 3% 14.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bradford, PA

$63 2.4% 24.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $786 in Bradford, PA. 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 32% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $51 in Bradford, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $342 – making Bradford, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bradford, PA

🕒 Local time

17:28 5:28 PM

18:28 6:28 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,507

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bradford, PA 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bradford, PA

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 Bradford, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Bradford, PA, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,942 in Bradford, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bradford, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $786 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $51 in Bradford, PA. 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 $2,628 in Bradford, PA. That makes Bradford, PA about 13% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,628 in Bradford, PA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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