Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cincinnati, OH: $2,284 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,284

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Cincinnati, OH $2,284

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,409 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Cincinnati, OH $3,409

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,534 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Cincinnati, OH $4,534

Chicago, IL costs about 33% more than Cincinnati, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Cincinnati, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Cincinnati, OH by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.04 $15.04

37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.3 $50.3

77.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.03 $10.03

31.51%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.07 $5.07

11.64%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.31 $2.31

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.67 $1.67

36.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.59 $5.59

22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.60 $7.60

16.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.88 $0.88

42.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.24 $3.24

14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.14 $4.14

30.19%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.09 $4.09

15.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.06 $13.06

5.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.07 $11.07

30.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.30 $16.30

12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.71 $5.71

-8.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.37 $4.37

-7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.76 $4.76

4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.56 $2.56

4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.14 $3.14

-15.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.02 $2.02

10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.92 $1.92

63.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.75 $9.75

41.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.94 $14.94

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.07 $2.07

22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.96 $2.96

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.72 $2.72

-10.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$107 $107

-31.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.82 $3.82

-16.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.25 $1.25

11.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.56 $24.56

1.91%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

-2.30%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.50%

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

$194 $194

$151 $151

28.36%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$76.8 $76.8

-9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.6 $71.6

-13.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.11 $34.11

40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$13.79 $13.79

98.26%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.29 $15.29

16.48%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,341 $1,341

33.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.1K $19.1K

67.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$45.25 $45.25

48.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.81 $44.81

16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$83.2 $83.2

22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$110 $110

30.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,505 $1,505

67.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,005 $1,005

56.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,024 $3,024

56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,784 $1,784

50.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,610 $3,610

16.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,016 $2,016

37.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,191 $4,191

17.65%

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 Cincinnati, OH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Cincinnati, OH

$1K 44% 36.3% $573

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Cincinnati, OH

$389 17% 13.2% $59

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Cincinnati, OH

$270 11.8% 21.6% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Cincinnati, OH

$300 13.1% 7.9% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Cincinnati, OH

$127 5.6% 22.4% $37

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.6% 37% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Cincinnati, OH

$65 2.8% 22.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,505 in Cincinnati, OH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $50 in Cincinnati, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $389 – making Cincinnati, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🕒 Local time

11:22 11:22 AM

12:22 12:22 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

298,800

💱 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 Cincinnati, OH 410 km

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Chicago, IL
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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 Cincinnati, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,426 in Cincinnati, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cincinnati, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,505 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $50 in Cincinnati, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cincinnati, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,284, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Cincinnati, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cincinnati, OH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cincinnati, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.