Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bridgeport, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Bridgeport, CT: $2,496 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Bridgeport, CT
Learn more

Bridgeport, CT Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Bridgeport, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,496

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bridgeport, CT

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 Bridgeport, CT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,496 in Bridgeport, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Bridgeport, CT $2,496

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,770 in Bridgeport, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Bridgeport, CT $2,770

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,043 in Bridgeport, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Bridgeport, CT $3,043

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Bridgeport, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Bridgeport, CT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Bridgeport, CT by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.97 $19.97

2.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$105 $105

-15.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.84 $11.84

8.53%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.50 $5.50

5.09%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.53 $2.53

8.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.30 $2.30

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$8.14 $8.14

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.16 $9.16

0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.16 $1.16

8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.76 $3.76

-5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.20 $7.20

-25.28%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.86 $3.86

17.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$16.24 $16.24

-15.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.08 $10.08

39.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$8.78 $8.78

105.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$7.83 $7.83

-34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.70 $3.70

-46.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.30 $5.30

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.45 $5.45

-11.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.94 $3.94

-28.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.72 $4.72

-43.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.98 $1.98

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.01 $2.01

50.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$14.62 $14.62

-4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.03 $12.03

25.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.74 $2.74

-4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.40 $3.40

1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.79 $1.79

35.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.09 $3.09

2.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.22 $2.22

-23.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$42.06 $42.06

-40.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.7K $30.7K

16.75%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.3K $23.3K

15.15%

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

$192 $192

$220 $220

-12.83%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$59.8 $59.8

16.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$50.2 $50.2

23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$24.10 $24.10

98.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$15.80 $15.80

71.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.03 $12.03

48.21%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$3,022 $3,022

-39.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$52.7K $52.7K

-22.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$45.82 $45.82

44.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$76.9 $76.9

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$69.2 $69.2

49.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$119 $119

19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,020 $2,020

25.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,190 $1,190

36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,890 $3,890

7.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$4,005 $4,005

-32.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,187 $4,187

17.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.7

1.19%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Bridgeport, CT: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Bridgeport, CT

$1.2K 47.7% 26.6% $431

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Bridgeport, CT

$427 17.1% 2.9% $13

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Bridgeport, CT

$340 13.6% 1.3% $4.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Bridgeport, CT

$330 13.2% 2% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Bridgeport, CT

$140 5.6% 14.4% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Bridgeport, CT

$21 * 0.9% 77.9% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Bridgeport, CT

$48 1.9% 42.3% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,020 in Bridgeport, CT. 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 18% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $105 in Bridgeport, CT. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $427 in Bridgeport, CT – so Bridgeport, CT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bridgeport, CT

🕒 Local time

06:06 6:06 AM

07:06 7:06 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

137,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Bridgeport, CT 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bridgeport, CT

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 Bridgeport, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Bridgeport, CT, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $3,744 in Bridgeport, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bridgeport, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,020 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,496 in Bridgeport, CT. That makes Bridgeport, CT about 19% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,022 in Bridgeport, CT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,496 in Bridgeport, CT. 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 $2,496 in Bridgeport, CT to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bridgeport, CT. 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.