Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Germantown, MD: $3,139 and $3,140 a month, rent and utilities included.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
151

Cost of Living Index in Germantown, MD
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Germantown, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Germantown, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,140

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,140 in Germantown, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Germantown, MD $3,140

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,618 in Germantown, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Germantown, MD $4,618

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,097 in Germantown, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Germantown, MD $6,097

Chicago, IL and Germantown, MD have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Germantown, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Germantown, MD by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$16.28 $16.28

26.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$79.3 $79.3

13.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.72 $11.72

10.41%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.23 $5.23

7.07%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.09 $3.09

-14.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.96 $1.96

15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.96 $5.96

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.95 $6.95

27.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.76 $0.76

67.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.28 $3.28

15.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.71 $6.71

-21.01%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.07 $3.07

55.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.18 $12.18

14.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.94 $9.94

46.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.83 $16.83

11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.62 $5.62

-7.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.07 $5.07

-22.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.13 $5.13

-3.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.27 $2.27

21.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.05 $3.05

-9.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.95 $1.95

13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.97 $1.97

51.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.13 $9.13

53.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.71 $14.71

3.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.39 $2.39

7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.05 $3.05

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.57 $2.57

-3.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$87.0 $87.0

-14.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.63 $2.63

27.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.58 $1.58

-9.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$22.31 $22.31

9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.92 $0.92

36.96%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.6K $31.6K

10.73%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.6K $23.6K

10.62%

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

$193 $193

$213 $213

-9.50%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$50.9 $50.9

34.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$64.6 $64.6

-5.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$24.88 $24.88

117.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.35 $15.35

15.57%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,351 $1,351

22.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$42.8K $42.8K

-27.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$45.27 $45.27

45.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.48 $39.48

29.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$90.2 $90.2

10.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$140 $140

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,210 $2,210

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,823 $1,823

-7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,997 $3,997

18.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,203 $3,203

-12.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$5,922 $5,922

-30.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,380 $2,380

11.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,237 $5,237

-7.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.62

2.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Germantown, MD: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Germantown, MD

$1.8K 58.1% 8.7% $145

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Germantown, MD

$391 12.5% 12.9% $58

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Germantown, MD

$292 9.3% 15% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Germantown, MD

$328 10.5% 1.9% $6.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Germantown, MD

$142 4.5% 12.1% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Germantown, MD

$108 3.4% 13.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Germantown, MD

$56 1.8% 38% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,210 in Germantown, 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 Germantown, MD. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $79.0 in Germantown, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $391 – making Germantown, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Germantown, MD

🕒 Local time

06:38 6:38 AM

07:38 7:38 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

86,395

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Chicago, IL
Germantown, 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 Germantown, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,710 in Germantown, MD. 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 $79.0 in Germantown, MD. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,140 in Germantown, MD. 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 $3,140 in Germantown, MD. 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, Germantown, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.