Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Carlisle, PA: $2,644 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Carlisle, PA
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Carlisle, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Carlisle, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,644

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,644 in Carlisle, PA.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Carlisle, PA $2,644

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,989 in Carlisle, PA.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Carlisle, PA $3,989

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $5,335 in Carlisle, PA.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Carlisle, PA $5,335

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 15% more expensive than in Carlisle, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Carlisle, PA 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$26.74 $26.74

-22.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$107 $107

-16.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.81 $11.81

11.69%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.22 $6.22

-9.00%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.26 $3.26

-19.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.55 $2.55

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$9.11 $9.11

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.85 $9.85

-10.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.32 $1.32

-5.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.15 $4.15

-10.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.98 $6.98

-22.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.80 $5.80

-18.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.76 $16.76

-17.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.84 $16.84

-14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.34 $18.34

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.93 $6.93

-24.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.28 $2.28

-13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.89 $4.89

-16.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.96 $5.96

-16.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.91 $2.91

-8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.74 $3.74

-28.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.64 $2.64

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.66 $2.66

17.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.00 $14.00

-1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.13 $16.13

-7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.33 $3.33

-23.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.63 $5.63

-37.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$53.2 $53.2

38.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.97 $3.97

-19.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.67 $24.67

1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.7K $34.7K

0.86%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.73%

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

$194 $194

$213 $213

-8.65%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$80.8 $80.8

-14.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$78.3 $78.3

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.01 $41.01

16.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.80 $17.80

0.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,392 $1,392

28.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$41.6K $41.6K

-23.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$70.5 $70.5

-4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.13 $44.13

18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$105 $105

-3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$126 $126

14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,172 $1,172

115.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,043 $1,043

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,872 $1,872

153.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,693 $1,693

59.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,698 $2,698

55.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,348 $2,348

17.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,573 $5,573

-11.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Carlisle, PA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Carlisle, PA

$1K 39.4% 33.9% $535

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Carlisle, PA

$512 19.4% 14.4% $65

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Carlisle, PA

$413 15.6% 19.6% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Carlisle, PA

$372 14.1% 14.2% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Carlisle, PA

$155 5.9% 5.3% $8.7

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Carlisle, PA

$73 2.8% 21.9% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Carlisle, PA

$77 2.9% 8.3% $6.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,172 in Carlisle, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlisle, PA pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $107 in Carlisle, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $512 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Carlisle, PA

🕒 Local time

13:06 1:06 PM

14:06 2:06 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

18,682

💱 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 Carlisle, PA 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Carlisle, PA is cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and leisure. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Chicago, IL. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,172 in Carlisle, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $89 versus $107 in Carlisle, PA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,644 in Carlisle, PA – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Carlisle, 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.