Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Canton, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Canton, OH: $1,749 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 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
85

Cost of Living Index in Canton, OH
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Canton, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Canton, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,749

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Canton, OH

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 Canton, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $1,749 in Canton, OH.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Canton, OH $1,749

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $2,631 in Canton, OH.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Canton, OH $2,631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $3,513 in Canton, OH.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Canton, OH $3,513

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 74% more expensive than in Canton, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Canton, OH 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.70 $14.70

40.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$54.7 $54.7

63.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.93 $9.93

32.83%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.20 $4.20

34.76%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.21 $2.21

19.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.53 $1.53

49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.52 $3.52

95.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$2.95 $2.95

199.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.86 $0.86

45.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.82 $2.82

31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.02 $4.02

34.08%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.97 $2.97

59.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.28 $11.28

22.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.04 $10.04

43.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.42 $16.42

11.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.38 $3.38

54.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 $1.51

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.36 $4.36

-6.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.65 $3.65

36.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.22 $2.22

20.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.03 $2.03

31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.99 $1.99

12.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.81 $1.81

72.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.03 $9.03

53.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.04 $11.04

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.99 $1.99

27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.06 $3.06

14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.79 $1.79

35.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$40.65 $40.65

80.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.48 $2.48

28.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.56 $2.56

-45.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$40.57 $40.57

-38.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.76%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.61%

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

$194 $194

$176 $176

10.38%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.5 $53.5

29.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.9 $64.9

-5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$23.11 $23.11

107.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.01 $12.01

48.29%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$201 $201

791.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$14.1K $14.1K

126.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.30 $44.30

51.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.30 $39.30

32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$73.9 $73.9

37.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$77.4 $77.4

85.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,179 $1,179

114.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$664 $664

137.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,205 $2,205

114.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,181 $1,181

128.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,645 $1,645

154.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,308 $1,308

111.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,077 $3,077

60.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Canton, OH: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Canton, OH

$664 38% 57.9% $914

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Canton, OH

$338 19.3% 24.4% $109

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Canton, OH

$236 13.5% 31.5% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Canton, OH

$295 16.8% 9.5% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Canton, OH

$106 6% 35.6% $58

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Canton, OH

$63 3.6% 32.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Canton, OH

$47 2.7% 43.6% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,179 in Canton, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 60% 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 $55 in Canton, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $338 per month, with Canton, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Canton, OH

🕒 Local time

06:28 6:28 AM

07:28 7:28 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

71,885

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Canton, OH 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Canton, OH

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 Canton, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Canton, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Canton, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 60% 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 $1,179 in Canton, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,794 in Chicago, IL versus $201 in Canton, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,749 in Canton, OH versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Canton, OH but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Canton, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Canton, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.