Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Gaithersburg, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Gaithersburg, MD: $2,884 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Gaithersburg, MD
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Gaithersburg, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Gaithersburg, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,884

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Gaithersburg, MD

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,884 in Gaithersburg, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Gaithersburg, MD $2,884

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,097 in Gaithersburg, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Gaithersburg, MD $4,097

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,309 in Gaithersburg, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Gaithersburg, MD $5,309

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Gaithersburg, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Gaithersburg, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Gaithersburg, MD by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.62 $19.62

5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

0.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$6.85 $6.85

92.55%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.82 $5.82

-2.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.77 $2.77

-4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.49 $2.49

-8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.97 $7.97

-13.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.60 $8.60

2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.21 $1.21

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.37 $4.37

-14.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.11 $5.11

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$17.57 $17.57

-21.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.78 $15.78

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.04 $19.04

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.76 $4.76

-14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.27 $5.27

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.00 $3.00

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.01 $2.01

32.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.09 $2.09

7.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.56 $2.56

22.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.36 $13.36

3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.85 $14.85

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.81 $2.81

24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.07 $4.07

-21.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.22 $1.22

13.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.06 $25.06

-0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.17%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.90%

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

$194 $194

$161 $161

20.96%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.1 $51.1

35.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.9 $60.9

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.27 $32.27

48.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.91 $16.91

5.32%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,834 $1,834

-2.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$36.1K $36.1K

-11.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.1 $55.1

21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.73 $35.73

45.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$122 $122

17.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,803 $1,803

40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,606 $1,606

-1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,442 $2,442

94.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,354 $2,354

14.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,452 $2,452

70.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,566 $2,566

7.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,307 $5,307

-7.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.79

0.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gaithersburg, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Gaithersburg, MD

$1.6K 55.7% 1.8% $28

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Gaithersburg, MD

$462 16% 3.4% $15

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Gaithersburg, MD

$325 11.3% 5.6% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Gaithersburg, MD

$273 9.5% 16.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Gaithersburg, MD

$141 4.9% 14% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Gaithersburg, MD

$10 * 0.4% 89.1% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Gaithersburg, MD

$66 2.3% 20.9% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,803 in Gaithersburg, MD. 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 8% higher in Gaithersburg, MD, 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 $89 in Gaithersburg, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $462 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gaithersburg, MD

🕒 Local time

22:51 10:51 PM

23:51 11:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

69,657

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Gaithersburg, MD 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Gaithersburg, MD

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 Gaithersburg, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,884 in Gaithersburg, MD – Gaithersburg, MD comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,326 in Gaithersburg, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gaithersburg, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,803 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,834 in Gaithersburg, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,884 in Gaithersburg, MD. That makes Gaithersburg, MD about 5% cheaper.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,884 in Gaithersburg, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.