Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Claremont, NH

For one person, living is cheaper in Claremont, NH: $2,650 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL, United States
Claremont, NH, United States
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,072
/mo nomad
Claremont, NH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,650
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Claremont, NH

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 Claremont, NH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,650 in Claremont, NH, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,072
  • Claremont, NH $2,650

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,927 in Claremont, NH, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,545
  • Claremont, NH $3,927

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,203 in Claremont, NH, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $6,019
  • Claremont, NH $5,203

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Claremont, NH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Claremont, NH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Claremont, NH by 96%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.39 $20.39
$24.75 $24.75
-17.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.6 $88.6
$79.7 $79.7
11.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.85 $12.85
$12.32 $12.32
4.30%
Cappuccino
$5.78 $5.78
$5.91 $5.91
-2.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.82 $2.82
-2.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.95 $1.95
15.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.88 $6.88
$6.05 $6.05
13.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.24 $9.24
$5.10 $5.10
81.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$0.81 $0.81
55.56%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 $3.55
$4.66 $4.66
-23.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.38 $5.38
$8.41 $8.41
-36.03%
Eggs
$4.55 $4.55
$4.05 $4.05
12.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.65 $13.65
$13.42 $13.42
1.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.07 $14.07
$10.31 $10.31
36.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.06 $18.06
$16.28 $16.28
10.93%
Apples (1kg)
$5.16 $5.16
$4.84 $4.84
6.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.72 $1.72
15.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 $3.88
$5.93 $5.93
-34.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.83 $4.83
$6.65 $6.65
-27.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 $2.81
$6.31 $6.31
-55.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$3.69 $3.69
-27.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 $2.07
$3.20 $3.20
-35.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$2.52 $2.52
20.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.90 $13.90
$12.42 $12.42
11.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.05 $15.05
$15.07 $15.07
-0.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.93 $1.93
36.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 $3.45
$2.52 $2.52
36.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.11 $2.11
15.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.3 $75.3
$63.7 $63.7
18.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 $3.17
$4.06 $4.06
-21.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.12 $2.12
-19.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.90 $24.90
$29.75 $29.75
-16.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.04 $1.04
23.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$27.2K $27.2K
31.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$26.4K $26.4K
1.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 $192
$149 $149
28.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.6 $69.6
$67.7 $67.7
2.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.2 $62.2
$77.0 $77.0
-19.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.79 $47.79
$39.25 $39.25
21.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.10 $27.10
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.83 $17.83
$14.02 $14.02
27.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,815 $1,815
$1,238 $1,238
46.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$40.6K $40.6K
$27.9K $27.9K
45.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.2 $66.2
$19.67 $19.67
236.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 $51.4
$78.8 $78.8
-34.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 $103
$61.1 $61.1
69.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 $143
$120 $120
19.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,531 $2,531
$1,273 $1,273
98.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 $1,621
$1,260 $1,260
28.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,828 $4,828
$2,549 $2,549
89.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,734 $2,734
$2,083 $2,083
31.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,163 $4,163
$2,751 $2,751
51.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,723 $2,723
$2,301 $2,301
18.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
Claremont, NH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,924 $4,924
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.78
6.5
4.31%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Claremont, NH: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.6K
Claremont, NH
$1.3K 22.3% $361
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$439
Claremont, NH
$451 2.7% $12
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$344
Claremont, NH
$365 6.2% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$324
Claremont, NH
$294 9.2% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$164
Claremont, NH
$126 23.2% $38
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$97
Claremont, NH
$87 10.2% $9.8
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$83
Claremont, NH
$67 19.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,273 in Claremont, NH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $80 in Claremont, NH. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $451 in Claremont, NH – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 Claremont, NH
🕒 Local time
20:48 8:48 PM
21:48 9:48 PM
1 h ahead of Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
35,103
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL Claremont, NH 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • Claremont, NH

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 Claremont, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chicago, IL and in Claremont, NH compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,650 in Claremont, NH – Claremont, NH comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Chicago, IL compared to Claremont, NH?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,975 in Claremont, NH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chicago, IL and Claremont, NH?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Claremont, NH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,273 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Claremont, NH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,650 in Claremont, NH. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Chicago, IL or Claremont, NH?
Families tend to lean toward Claremont, NH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Chicago, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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