Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Groton, CT: $3,037 and $3,035 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Groton, CT
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Groton, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Groton, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,035 in Groton, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Groton, CT $3,035

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,131 in Groton, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Groton, CT $4,131

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,227 in Groton, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Groton, CT $5,227

Chicago, IL and Groton, CT have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.08 $18.08

14.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$63.8 $63.8

39.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.42 $13.42

-1.71%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.08 $5.08

11.42%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.51 $2.51

5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.05 $5.05

36.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.09 $6.09

45.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.80 $3.80

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.23 $5.23

3.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.90 $4.90

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.14 $11.14

24.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.36 $14.36

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.48 $17.48

5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.81 $6.81

-23.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.75 $1.75

13.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.73 $6.73

-39.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.67 $5.67

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.83 $2.83

-5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.29 $4.29

-38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.95 $2.95

-24.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.52 $1.52

105.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.80 $13.80

0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.59 $13.59

9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.13 $2.13

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.11 $4.11

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.26 $2.26

7.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$57.2 $57.2

28.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.81 $2.81

13.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.59 $1.59

-12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.07 $30.07

-16.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.0K $27.0K

29.85%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.43%

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

$194 $194

$324 $324

-40.08%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$106 $106

-34.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$85.9 $85.9

-28.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.71 $36.71

30.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.12 $14.12

26.13%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,866 $1,866

-3.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$30.4K $30.4K

5.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$57.2 $57.2

17.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.87 $38.87

34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$80.7 $80.7

25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$100 $100

43.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,097 $2,097

20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,512 $1,512

4.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,514 $2,514

88.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,094 $2,094

28.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,202 $3,202

30.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,306 $2,306

20.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 25, 2026

Last update for Groton, CT: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Groton, CT

$1.5K 49.8% 4.2% $66

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Groton, CT

$440 14.5% 1.8% $7.8

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Groton, CT

$301 9.9% 12.7% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Groton, CT

$516 17% 58.5% $190

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Groton, CT

$125 4.1% 24% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Groton, CT

$77 2.5% 17.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Groton, CT

$65 2.1% 22.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,097 in Groton, CT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $64 in Groton, CT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $440 – making Groton, CT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Groton, CT

🕒 Local time

13:04 1:04 PM

14:04 2:04 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

40,115

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Groton, CT 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,553 in Groton, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Groton, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,097 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,866 in Groton, CT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Groton, CT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,035 in Groton, CT. 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 $3,035 in Groton, CT to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.