Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bridgeville, PA: $2,436 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Bridgeville, PA
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Bridgeville, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bridgeville, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,436

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,436 in Bridgeville, PA.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bridgeville, PA $2,436

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,636 in Bridgeville, PA.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bridgeville, PA $3,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $4,837 in Bridgeville, PA.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bridgeville, PA $4,837

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 25% more expensive than in Bridgeville, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Bridgeville, PA 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.86 $17.86

15.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.4 $61.4

45.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.12 $11.12

18.62%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.72 $5.72

-1.05%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.58 $2.58

2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.94 $1.94

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.87 $5.87

17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.03 $8.03

10.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.88 $0.88

42.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.30 $3.30

12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.28 $4.28

25.93%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.50 $2.50

89.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.52 $7.52

84.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.39 $12.39

16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.07 $15.07

21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.43 $4.43

17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.30 $3.30

23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.97 $3.97

25.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.12 $2.12

25.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.81 $2.81

-5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.19 $2.19

2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.15 $2.15

45.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.11 $10.11

36.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.13 $15.13

-1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.51 $2.51

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.67 $3.67

-4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$52.0 $52.0

41.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.81 $2.81

13.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.51 $1.51

-7.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$26.10 $26.10

-4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.63%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.71%

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

$194 $194

$219 $219

-11.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$63.5 $63.5

9.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.5 $72.5

-14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$38.90 $38.90

23.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.61 $13.61

30.86%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,020 $1,020

75.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.5K $18.5K

73.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$62.3 $62.3

7.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.71 $38.71

34.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,256 $1,256

101.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,135 $1,135

39.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,541 $2,541

86.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,087 $2,087

29.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,475 $2,475

69.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,625 $2,625

5.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bridgeville, PA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bridgeville, PA

$1.1K 46.6% 28.1% $444

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bridgeville, PA

$358 14.7% 19.9% $89

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bridgeville, PA

$308 12.7% 10.6% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bridgeville, PA

$355 14.6% 9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bridgeville, PA

$143 5.9% 12.5% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bridgeville, PA

$70 2.9% 24.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bridgeville, PA

$66 2.7% 20.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,256 in Bridgeville, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $61 in Bridgeville, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $358 per month, with Bridgeville, PA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bridgeville, PA

🕒 Local time

10:50 10:50 AM

11:50 11:50 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

5,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bridgeville, PA 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bridgeville, 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 Bridgeville, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bridgeville, PA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bridgeville, PA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $4,555 in Chicago, IL and $3,654 in Bridgeville, PA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,256 in Bridgeville, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,436 in Bridgeville, PA – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bridgeville, PA runs roughly 29% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bridgeville, PA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bridgeville, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.