Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Framingham, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,472 in Framingham, MA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Framingham, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
166

Cost of Living Index in Framingham, MA
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Framingham, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Framingham, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,472

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Framingham, 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 Framingham, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,472 in Framingham, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Framingham, MA $3,472

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,893 in Framingham, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Framingham, MA $4,893

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,314 in Framingham, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Framingham, MA $6,314

Chicago, IL is about 10% cheaper than Framingham, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Framingham, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Framingham, MA by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.15 $18.15

13.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$94.8 $94.8

-4.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.59 $13.59

-4.78%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.49 $4.49

24.72%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.93 $2.93

-9.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.30 $2.30

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.07 $5.07

37.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.48 $5.48

61.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.94 $3.94

-3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.35 $5.35

-0.93%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.92 $4.92

-3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.40 $11.40

22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.93 $8.93

63.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.65 $17.65

6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.70 $3.70

40.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.75 $1.75

13.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.63 $6.63

-40.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.45 $5.45

-8.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.02 $2.02

36.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.89 $2.89

-4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.04 $3.04

-26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.53 $2.53

17.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$13.70 $13.70

2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.70 $13.70

11.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.14 $2.14

20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.15 $4.15

-15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.31 $2.31

6.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.91 $0.91

38.46%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.4K $27.4K

27.80%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.57%

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

$193 $193

$323 $323

-40.26%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$29.62 $29.62

130.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$84.8 $84.8

-27.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$24.59 $24.59

120.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$24.96 $24.96

11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$9.97 $9.97

77.93%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,854 $1,854

-10.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$30.4K $30.4K

2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$40.59 $40.59

62.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$30.29 $30.29

69.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$69.3 $69.3

44.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$59.4 $59.4

137.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,075 $2,075

17.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,188 $2,188

-23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,912 $3,912

20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,514 $3,514

-20.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,896 $4,896

-0.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Framingham, 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%

Framingham, MA

$2.2K 63% 30.4% $511

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Framingham, MA

$406 11.7% 9.6% $43

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Framingham, MA

$297 8.6% 13.5% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Framingham, MA

$437 12.6% 35.6% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Framingham, MA

$90 2.6% 44.3% $71

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Framingham, MA

$9.2 * 0.3% 90.3% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Framingham, MA

$45 1.3% 50.3% $45

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 $2,075 in Framingham, 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 1% higher in Framingham, MA, 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 Framingham, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $406 in Framingham, MA – so Framingham, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Framingham, MA

🕒 Local time

04:32 4:32 AM

05:32 5:32 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

68,318

💱 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 Framingham, MA 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Framingham, 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 Framingham, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Framingham, MA costs about 11% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,208 in Framingham, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, 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 Framingham, MA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Framingham, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,472 in Framingham, MA. 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,472 in Framingham, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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