Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fall River, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Fall River, MA: $2,762 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Fall River, MA
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Fall River, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Fall River, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Fall River, MA

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 Fall River, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,762 in Fall River, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Fall River, MA $2,762

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,879 in Fall River, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Fall River, MA $3,879

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,995 in Fall River, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Fall River, MA $4,995

Chicago, IL costs about 14% more than Fall River, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Fall River, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Fall River, MA by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.34 $18.34

12.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$94.8 $94.8

-4.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.76 $11.76

10.03%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.32 $5.32

5.26%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.88 $2.88

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.31 $2.31

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.96 $4.96

40.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.91 $7.91

11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.95 $3.95

-3.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.61 $5.61

-5.53%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$6.10 $6.10

-21.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$15.88 $15.88

-12.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.49 $14.49

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.67 $17.67

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.88 $6.88

-24.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.79 $1.79

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.48 $5.48

-28.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.65 $5.65

-12.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.38 $4.38

-36.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.89 $1.89

46.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.02 $3.02

-26.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.68 $2.68

11.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$13.29 $13.29

5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.74 $13.74

11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.09 $2.09

23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.24 $4.24

-17.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.62 $2.62

27.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.78 $1.78

-19.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$27.62 $27.62

-11.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.09 $1.09

15.60%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.07%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.80%

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

$193 $193

$241 $241

-20.17%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$55.2 $55.2

23.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$86.4 $86.4

-29.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$27.47 $27.47

97.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$29.84 $29.84

-6.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.31 $16.31

8.77%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,849 $1,849

-10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$30.3K $30.3K

2.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$56.7 $56.7

16.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$38.35 $38.35

33.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$114 $114

-12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$99.3 $99.3

41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,137 $1,137

115.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,389 $1,389

20.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,893 $1,893

149.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,895 $1,895

47.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,919 $2,919

40.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,768 $2,768

-4.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,354 $3,354

45.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fall River, MA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Fall River, MA

$1.4K 50.3% 17.2% $289

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Fall River, MA

$473 17.1% 5.2% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Fall River, MA

$307 11.1% 10.5% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Fall River, MA

$383 13.9% 18.8% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Fall River, MA

$139 5% 13.9% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Fall River, MA

$12 * 0.4% 87.9% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Fall River, MA

$60 2.2% 32.9% $30

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,137 in Fall River, MA. 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 45% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $95.0 in Fall River, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $473 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fall River, MA

🕒 Local time

00:22 12:22 AM

01:22 1:22 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

88,857

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Fall River, MA 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Fall River, MA

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 Fall River, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,762 in Fall River, MA – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,143 in Fall River, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fall River, MA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $95.0 in Fall River, MA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fall River, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,762, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Fall River, MA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,762 in Fall River, MA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Fall River, MA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.