Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Eliot, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Eliot, ME: $2,796 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Eliot, ME
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Eliot, ME Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Eliot, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,796

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Eliot, ME

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 Eliot, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,796 in Eliot, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Eliot, ME $2,796

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,003 in Eliot, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Eliot, ME $4,003

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,211 in Eliot, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Eliot, ME $5,211

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Eliot, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Eliot, ME sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Eliot, ME by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$17.65 $17.65

15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$50.1 $50.1

76.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$8.75 $8.75

46.86%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.91 $4.91

17.72%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.95 $1.95

40.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.52 $1.52

48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$8.07 $8.07

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.20 $8.20

12.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.14 $1.14

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.41 $4.41

-19.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.86 $6.86

-21.57%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.55 $5.55

-18.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$15.47 $15.47

-11.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.47 $14.47

-2.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.67 $19.67

-8.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$7.42 $7.42

-30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.00 $2.00

-1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.56 $5.56

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$7.43 $7.43

-34.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.35 $4.35

-35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.08 $4.08

-34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.96 $2.96

-30.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.96 $2.96

2.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.37 $13.37

3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.74 $15.74

-4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.99 $2.99

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.42 $4.42

-21.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$68.0 $68.0

10.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.65 $2.65

19.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.79 $1.79

-5.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$27.87 $27.87

-10.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.15 $1.15

11.30%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.3K $30.3K

18.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.67%

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

$192 $192

$236 $236

-18.69%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$45.41 $45.41

53.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$75.9 $75.9

-18.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.35 $40.35

18.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.08 $16.08

10.88%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,638 $2,638

-31.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.8K $20.8K

95.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$75.0 $75.0

-11.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$50.1 $50.1

2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$113 $113

-8.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$153 $153

-6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,587 $1,587

59.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,290 $1,290

25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,576 $2,576

87.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,065 $2,065

32.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,976 $2,976

39.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,545 $2,545

6.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.85

-1.02%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Eliot, ME: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Eliot, ME

$1.3K 46.2% 20.4% $331

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Eliot, ME

$515 18.4% 17.3% $76

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Eliot, ME

$297 10.6% 13.6% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Eliot, ME

$357 12.8% 10.4% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Eliot, ME

$176 6.3% 7.7% $13

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Eliot, ME

$87 3.1% 9.7% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Eliot, ME

$73 2.6% 13.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,587 in Eliot, ME. 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 $50 in Eliot, ME. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $515 in Eliot, ME – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Eliot, ME

🕒 Local time

18:02 6:02 PM

19:02 7:02 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

6,700

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Eliot, ME 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Eliot, ME

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 Eliot, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,796 in Eliot, ME – Eliot, ME comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,194 in Eliot, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Eliot, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,587 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

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

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,796 in Eliot, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,796 in Eliot, ME to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.