Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Gloucester, MA: $2,837 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Gloucester, MA
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Gloucester, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Gloucester, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,837 in Gloucester, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Gloucester, MA $2,837

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,132 in Gloucester, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Gloucester, MA $4,132

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,426 in Gloucester, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Gloucester, MA $5,426

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Gloucester, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Gloucester, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Gloucester, MA by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.07 $19.07

6.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$72.6 $72.6

22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.23 $11.23

14.43%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.62 $4.62

25.11%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.33 $2.33

17.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.99 $1.99

13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.60 $6.60

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.86 $6.86

34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.53 $3.53

0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.26 $4.26

26.29%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.07 $4.07

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.32 $12.32

10.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.76 $11.76

19.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.20 $17.20

5.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.03 $5.03

2.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 $1.68

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.38 $4.38

-11.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.73 $4.73

2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.79 $2.79

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.87 $2.87

-6.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.20 $2.20

-5.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.21 $2.21

37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.23 $10.23

35.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.76 $14.76

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.07 $2.07

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.64 $3.64

-5.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.2 $59.2

27.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.51 $3.51

-9.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.97 $1.97

-13.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$34.18 $34.18

-27.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.12 $1.12

14.29%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.7K $30.7K

16.74%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$29.6K $29.6K

-9.55%

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

$192 $192

$198 $198

-3.05%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$58.8 $58.8

18.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$70.8 $70.8

-12.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.79 $40.79

17.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.04 $13.04

36.73%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,307 $1,307

38.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$18.5K $18.5K

118.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$53.8 $53.8

22.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$41.76 $41.76

23.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$148 $148

-30.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$113 $113

26.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,761 $1,761

43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,496 $1,496

8.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$3,041 $3,041

58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,490 $2,490

9.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,715 $2,715

53.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,439 $2,439

11.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$2,429 $2,429

102.70%

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 Gloucester, MA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Gloucester, MA

$1.5K 52.7% 7.7% $125

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Gloucester, MA

$399 14.1% 9.1% $40

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Gloucester, MA

$306 10.8% 11.1% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Gloucester, MA

$328 11.6% 1.2% $3.9

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Gloucester, MA

$161 5.7% 1.9% $3.1

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Gloucester, MA

$81 2.8% 16.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Gloucester, MA

$67 2.4% 19.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,761 in Gloucester, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $73 in Gloucester, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $399 – making Gloucester, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gloucester, MA

🕒 Local time

09:34 9:34 AM

10:34 10:34 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

29,729

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Gloucester, MA 1,400 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,837 in Gloucester, MA – Gloucester, MA comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,255 in Gloucester, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gloucester, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,761 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $73 in Gloucester, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,837 in Gloucester, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Gloucester, MA – 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 Gloucester, MA. 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.