Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Enfield

For one person, living is cheaper in Enfield: $2,447 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Enfield
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Enfield Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Enfield

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Enfield

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,447 in Enfield, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Enfield $2,447

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,775 in Enfield, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Enfield $3,775

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,103 in Enfield, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Enfield $5,103

Chicago, IL costs about 26% more than Enfield, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Enfield sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Enfield by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.33 $20.33

0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$73.6 $73.6

20.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.52 $11.52

11.55%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.71 $4.71

22.72%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.89 $2.89

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.73 $1.73

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.22 $6.22

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.67 $7.67

20.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.61 $3.61

-1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.35 $4.35

23.68%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.14 $4.14

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.22 $12.22

11.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.82 $11.82

19.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.13 $17.13

5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.91 $4.91

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.36 $4.36

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.59 $4.59

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.78 $2.78

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.02 $3.02

-11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.21 $2.21

-6.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.20 $2.20

37.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.84 $9.84

41.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.73 $14.73

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.83 $1.83

43.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.35 $3.35

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.26 $2.26

7.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$65.7 $65.7

14.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.44 $3.44

-7.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 $1.62

4.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$29.05 $29.05

-14.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.14 $1.14

12.28%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

41.30%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.4K $22.4K

19.51%

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

$192 $192

$200 $200

-3.85%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$58.3 $58.3

19.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.4 $69.4

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.45 $39.45

21.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$50.4 $50.4

-46.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.01 $14.01

27.27%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,164 $1,164

55.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$18.0K $18.0K

126.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$54.2 $54.2

22.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$41.94 $41.94

22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.4 $88.4

16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$114 $114

25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,447 $1,447

74.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,116 $1,116

45.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,416 $2,416

99.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,131 $2,131

28.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,064 $3,064

35.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,667 $2,667

2.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,519 $5,519

-10.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Enfield: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Enfield

$1.1K 45.6% 31.2% $505

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Enfield

$397 16.2% 9.5% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Enfield

$319 13% 7.4% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Enfield

$327 13.4% 1.1% $3.6

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Enfield

$134 5.5% 17.9% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Enfield

$86 3.5% 10.8% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Enfield

$67 2.8% 19.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,447 in Enfield. 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 12% higher in Enfield, 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 $74 in Enfield. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $397 – making Enfield the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Enfield

🕒 Local time

23:12 11:12 PM

00:12 12:12 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

45,231

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Enfield 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Enfield

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 Enfield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,447 in Enfield – Enfield comes out roughly 20% 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 $3,671 in Enfield. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Enfield, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,447 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Enfield. 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 $2,447 in Enfield. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Enfield is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 20% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.