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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,117 in Chicago, IL versus $1,598 in Canton, OH.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,601 in Chicago, IL versus $2,610 in Canton, OH.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,085 in Chicago, IL versus $3,622 in Canton, OH.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 95% more expensive than in Canton, OH, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 134% above, Canton, OH 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.18 $20.18

$15.05 $15.05

34.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$75.1 $75.1

34.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$10.96 $10.96

10.31%

Cappuccino

$5.75 $5.75

$4.14 $4.14

38.89%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.07 $2.07

43.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.04 $2.04

20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 $7.04

$3.57 $3.57

97.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.27 $8.27

$2.92 $2.92

183.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.83 $0.83

30.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.00 $3.00

38.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.12 $4.12

30.58%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$3.19 $3.19

41.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$12.84 $12.84

10.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$13.76 $13.76

9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$16.26 $16.26

15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$5.46 $5.46

-6.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.10 $1.10

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.37 $3.37

25.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.13 $5.13

-13.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.27 $2.27

13.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.05 $3.05

-10.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.24 $2.24

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.98 $0.98

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 $14.91

$7.77 $7.77

91.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.82 $10.82

40.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.99 $1.99

23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.54 $2.54

47.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.21 $2.21

12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 $73.6

$40.36 $40.36

82.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.05 $3.05

8.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.57 $1.57

-13.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.06 $25.06

$27.19 $27.19

-7.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.80 $0.80

31.25%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$30.5K $30.5K

6.87%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.38%

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

$187 $187

$211 $211

-11.20%

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

$63.6 $63.6

$57.4 $57.4

10.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$55.1 $55.1

19.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 $77.1

$24.74 $24.74

211.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 $12.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$7.12 $7.12

112.78%

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

$2,029 $2,029

$198 $198

926.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.7K $38.7K

$15.1K $15.1K

156.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 $63.5

$41.87 $41.87

51.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.78 $38.78

34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 $96.1

$82.3 $82.3

16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$96.0 $96.0

54.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 $2,343

$379 $379

517.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 $1,623

$442 $442

266.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,601 $4,601

$809 $809

468.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,774 $2,774

$1,015 $1,015

173.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 $3,933

$1,519 $1,519

158.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,562 $2,562

$1,498 $1,498

71.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,176 $5,176

$2,936 $2,936

76.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: June 14, 2026

Last update for Canton, OH: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,343 in Chicago, IL and $379 in Canton, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 76% 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: $101 in Chicago, IL vs $75.0 in Canton, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $367 per month, with Canton, OH cheaper across the board.

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 95% 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 76% 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: $2,343 in Chicago, IL versus $379 in Canton, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,029 in Chicago, IL versus $198 in Canton, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,598 in Canton, OH versus $3,117 in Chicago, IL, a $1,000 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 work as nomad bases, but Canton, OH delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,598 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Canton, OH hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Canton, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.