Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Dover, DE

For one person, living is cheaper in Dover, DE: $2,593 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Dover, DE
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Dover, DE Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Dover, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,593

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Dover, DE

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 Dover, DE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,593 in Dover, DE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Dover, DE $2,593

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,781 in Dover, DE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Dover, DE $3,781

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,970 in Dover, DE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Dover, DE $4,970

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Dover, DE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Dover, DE sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Dover, DE by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.16 $13.16

57.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.9 $59.9

48.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.58 $10.58

24.67%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.93 $4.93

14.81%

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

$2.21 $2.21

3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.96 $4.96

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.13 $8.13

8.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.96 $0.96

30.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.82 $2.82

31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.66 $2.66

102.63%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.97 $4.97

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.23 $12.23

13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.54 $14.54

-0.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.90 $18.90

-2.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.92 $4.92

6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.12 $1.12

76.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.19 $6.19

-34.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.18 $5.18

-4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.11 $3.11

-14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.02 $2.02

31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.74 $1.74

28.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.51 $2.51

24.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.59 $8.59

60.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.78 $14.78

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.72 $1.72

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.99 $4.99

-29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.17%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.54%

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

$194 $194

$219 $219

-11.11%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$49.94 $49.94

39.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.3 $71.3

-13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$121 $121

-60.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.07 $17.07

4.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$687 $687

161.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.5K $21.5K

48.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.92 $47.92

39.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.92 $35.92

45.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$110 $110

-7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$201 $201

-28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,692 $1,692

49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,251 $1,251

26.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,353 $2,353

101.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,110 $2,110

27.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,146 $2,146

95.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,180 $2,180

26.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,760 $5,760

-14.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dover, DE: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Dover, DE

$1.3K 48.3% 20.7% $327

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Dover, DE

$415 16% 7.3% $32

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Dover, DE

$255 9.8% 26% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Dover, DE

$340 13.1% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Dover, DE

$177 6.8% 8.2% $13

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Dover, DE

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Dover, DE

$155 6% 85.2% $71

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,692 in Dover, DE. 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 17% higher in Dover, DE, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $60 in Dover, DE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $415 – making Dover, DE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Dover, DE

🕒 Local time

18:46 6:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

34,735

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Dover, DE 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Dover, DE

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 Dover, DE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,593 in Dover, DE – Dover, DE comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,890 in Dover, DE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dover, DE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,692 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Dover, DE. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,593 in Dover, DE. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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