Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Greenwich, CT: $2,737 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Greenwich, CT
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Greenwich, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Greenwich, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,737

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,737 in Greenwich, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Greenwich, CT $2,737

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,125 in Greenwich, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Greenwich, CT $4,125

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,513 in Greenwich, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Greenwich, CT $5,513

Chicago, IL costs about 11% more than Greenwich, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Greenwich, CT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Greenwich, CT by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.30 $25.30

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$100 $100

-10.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.20 $11.20

17.77%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.65 $5.65

0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.24 $2.24

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.59 $1.59

43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.05 $7.05

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.14 $8.14

8.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.36 $4.36

-14.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.55 $7.55

-28.61%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.86 $5.86

-19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.70 $12.70

8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.78 $11.78

22.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.58 $17.58

4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.54 $5.54

-5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.19 $6.19

-34.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.24 $6.24

-20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.46 $5.46

-51.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.78 $3.78

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.86 $2.86

-21.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.81 $2.81

11.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.82 $11.82

16.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$24.46 $24.46

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.33 $5.33

-34.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.1 $61.1

20.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.09 $2.09

-33.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.26 $24.26

3.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.44%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.44%

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

$194 $194

$212 $212

-8.22%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.9 $50.9

36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.2 $50.2

22.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.44 $39.44

21.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$50.4 $50.4

-45.76%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.38 $14.38

23.85%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$790 $790

127.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.6K $19.6K

62.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.97 $40.97

63.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$56.6 $56.6

-7.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$75.5 $75.5

34.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$155 $155

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,456 $2,456

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,266 $1,266

24.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,549 $2,549

85.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,102 $2,102

28.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,798 $2,798

49.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,336 $2,336

18.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,651 $7,651

-35.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.75

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Greenwich, CT: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Greenwich, CT

$1.3K 46.3% 19.8% $312

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Greenwich, CT

$489 17.9% 9.3% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Greenwich, CT

$371 13.5% 7.4% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Greenwich, CT

$313 11.4% 3.9% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Greenwich, CT

$147 5.4% 10.1% $17

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Greenwich, CT

$83 3% 11.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Greenwich, CT

$68 2.5% 18.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,456 in Greenwich, 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 55% higher in Greenwich, CT, 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 $100 in Greenwich, CT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $489 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Greenwich, CT

🕒 Local time

07:51 7:51 AM

08:51 8:51 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

62,077

💱 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 Greenwich, CT 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Greenwich, 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 Greenwich, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,737 in Greenwich, CT – Greenwich, CT comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,105 in Greenwich, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,456 in Greenwich, CT. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Greenwich, CT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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