Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Farmington, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Farmington, CT: $2,967 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
141

Cost of Living Index in Farmington, CT
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Farmington, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Farmington, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,967

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Farmington, CT

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,967 in Farmington, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Farmington, CT $2,967

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,156 in Farmington, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Farmington, CT $4,156

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,345 in Farmington, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Farmington, CT $5,345

Chicago, IL costs about 4% more than Farmington, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Farmington, CT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Farmington, CT by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.56 $20.56

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$98.9 $98.9

-10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.07 $12.07

6.46%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.15 $4.15

39.28%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.86 $2.86

-4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.47 $1.47

53.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.97 $6.97

-1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.33 $7.33

26.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.48 $1.48

-14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.33 $4.33

-18.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.28 $4.28

25.70%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.21 $5.21

-12.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$16.61 $16.61

-17.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.33 $13.33

5.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.63 $16.63

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.47 $4.47

15.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.12 $2.12

-6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.99 $2.99

29.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.41 $4.41

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.63 $1.63

72.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.65 $2.65

0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.11 $1.11

86.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.49 $2.49

21.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.85 $13.85

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.06 $15.06

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.28 $2.28

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.68 $3.68

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.89 $4.89

-35.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.17 $2.17

-21.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$48.43 $48.43

-48.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.09 $1.09

17.43%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.17%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

0.11%

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

$192 $192

$193 $193

-0.37%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$53.9 $53.9

29.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$53.3 $53.3

16.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.22 $15.22

17.15%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$822 $822

120.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$35.4K $35.4K

14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$50.5 $50.5

31.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$37.42 $37.42

37.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$76.0 $76.0

35.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$79.8 $79.8

78.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,972 $1,972

28.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,769 $1,769

-8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$3,037 $3,037

59.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,544 $2,544

7.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,170 $4,170

18.07%

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 Farmington, CT: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Farmington, CT

$1.8K 59.6% 9.1% $147

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Farmington, CT

$425 14.3% 3.2% $14

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Farmington, CT

$317 10.7% 7.8% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Farmington, CT

$300 10.1% 7.4% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Farmington, CT

$110 3.7% 33% $54

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Farmington, CT

$16 * 0.5% 83.7% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Farmington, CT

$30 * 1% 63.5% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,972 in Farmington, CT. 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 18% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $99 in Farmington, CT. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $425 in Farmington, CT – so Farmington, CT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Farmington, CT

🕒 Local time

17:42 5:42 PM

18:42 6:42 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

18,207

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Farmington, CT 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Farmington, CT

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 Farmington, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,967 in Farmington, CT – Farmington, CT comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,450 in Farmington, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Farmington, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,972 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $99 in Farmington, CT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,967 in Farmington, CT. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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