Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Defiance, OH: $1,846 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Defiance, OH
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Defiance, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Defiance, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,846

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,846 in Defiance, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Defiance, OH $1,846

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,706 in Defiance, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Defiance, OH $2,706

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,566 in Defiance, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Defiance, OH $3,566

Chicago, IL costs about 66% more than Defiance, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Defiance, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Defiance, OH by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$15.87 $15.87

28.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$59.2 $59.2

49.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.79 $11.79

8.99%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.21 $5.21

10.94%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.15 $2.15

27.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.71 $1.71

32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.91 $5.91

16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.01 $9.01

2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.67 $0.67

88.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.22 $2.22

59.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.04 $2.04

163.73%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.00 $4.00

13.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$8.72 $8.72

56.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.50 $11.50

22.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.34 $16.34

10.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.90 $4.90

5.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.54 $1.54

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.67 $2.67

45.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.40 $4.40

9.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.54 $2.54

10.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 $2.57

3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.79 $1.79

15.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.34 $2.34

29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.44 $10.44

33.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.74 $15.74

-4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.08 $3.08

-14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.44 $3.44

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.14 $2.14

13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$65.9 $65.9

14.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.99 $2.99

6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.52 $1.52

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.13 $24.13

3.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.95 $0.95

34.74%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$34.0K $34.0K

5.37%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.6K $23.6K

13.76%

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

$192 $192

$139 $139

38.30%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$60.5 $60.5

15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.3 $69.3

-10.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.40 $39.40

21.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$7.90 $7.90

125.70%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,385 $1,385

31.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$7,123 $7,123

470.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$58.3 $58.3

13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$36.52 $36.52

40.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$79.9 $79.9

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$58.9 $58.9

142.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$727 $727

248.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$690 $690

134.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$997 $997

384.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,042 $1,042

162.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,384 $1,384

200.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,391 $1,391

95.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.49

4.47%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Defiance, OH: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Defiance, OH

$690 37.4% 57.4% $931

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Defiance, OH

$354 19.2% 19.4% $85

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Defiance, OH

$288 15.6% 16.3% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Defiance, OH

$269 14.6% 17% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Defiance, OH

$105 5.7% 35.8% $59

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Defiance, OH

$85 4.6% 12% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Defiance, OH

$55 3% 33.8% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $727 in Defiance, OH. 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 $59 in Defiance, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $354 – making Defiance, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Defiance, OH

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

18:55 6:55 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

17,105

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Defiance, OH 280 km

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $1,846 in Defiance, OH – Defiance, OH comes out roughly 40% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,769 in Defiance, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Defiance, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $727 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Defiance, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Defiance, OH, where all-in costs run around $1,846, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Defiance, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Defiance, OH is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 40% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.