Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Brunswick, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Brunswick, ME: $2,678 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Brunswick, ME
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Brunswick, ME Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Brunswick, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,678

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Brunswick, ME

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 Brunswick, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,678 in Brunswick, ME.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Brunswick, ME $2,678

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $4,022 in Brunswick, ME.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Brunswick, ME $4,022

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $5,366 in Brunswick, ME.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Brunswick, ME $5,366

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 13% more expensive than in Brunswick, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Brunswick, ME 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.46 $25.46

-18.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$118 $118

-24.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.94 $14.94

-11.71%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.36 $6.36

-11.01%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.13 $3.13

-15.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.39 $2.39

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.92 $7.92

-13.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.16 $8.16

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.23 $3.23

15.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.44 $3.44

56.69%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.45 $2.45

93.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.95 $12.95

6.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.24 $10.24

40.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.96 $15.96

15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.65 $4.65

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.47 $1.47

34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.53 $4.53

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.40 $6.40

-22.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.32 $3.32

-19.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.63 $3.63

-26.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.44 $2.44

-8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.93 $1.93

62.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.97 $8.97

54.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.13 $13.13

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.38 $1.38

84.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.94 $1.94

80.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.99 $1.99

22.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$59.7 $59.7

23.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.02 $2.02

57.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.52 $1.52

-8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$11.15 $11.15

124.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

30.52%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.22%

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

$194 $194

$158 $158

23.39%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.0 $68.0

2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$78.1 $78.1

-21.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.42 $35.42

35.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.14 $14.14

25.95%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,242 $1,242

44.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

19.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.0 $52.0

28.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$81.5 $81.5

-36.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 $103

-1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$132 $132

8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,557 $1,557

62.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,292 $1,292

22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,525 $2,525

87.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,076 $2,076

29.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,959 $2,959

41.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,310 $2,310

19.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,782 $4,782

3.10%

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 Brunswick, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Brunswick, ME

$1.3K 48.2% 18.2% $286

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Brunswick, ME

$373 13.9% 16.6% $74

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Brunswick, ME

$403 15% 16.8% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Brunswick, ME

$304 11.3% 6.7% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Brunswick, ME

$166 6.2% 1.2% $2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Brunswick, ME

$77 2.9% 17.3% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Brunswick, ME

$64 2.4% 23.7% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,557 in Brunswick, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $118 in Brunswick, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $373, with Brunswick, ME cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Brunswick, ME

🕒 Local time

14:59 2:59 PM

15:59 3:59 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

16,287

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Brunswick, ME 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Brunswick, ME

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 Brunswick, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brunswick, ME is about 12% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Chicago, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,557 in Brunswick, ME. 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 $2,678 in Brunswick, ME – Brunswick, ME is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Brunswick, ME runs roughly 19% less than in Chicago, IL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Brunswick, ME 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.

It comes down to priorities – Brunswick, ME wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.