Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Harrisburg, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Harrisburg, PA: $2,600 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Harrisburg, PA
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Harrisburg, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Harrisburg, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,600

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Harrisburg, PA

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 Harrisburg, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,600 in Harrisburg, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Harrisburg, PA $2,600

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,729 in Harrisburg, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Harrisburg, PA $3,729

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,858 in Harrisburg, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Harrisburg, PA $4,858

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Harrisburg, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Harrisburg, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Harrisburg, PA by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$24.22 $24.22

-15.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$64.1 $64.1

38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.54 $10.54

21.92%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.06 $5.06

14.23%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.70 $2.70

1.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.19 $2.19

3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.36 $5.36

28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.97 $6.97

32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.31 $1.31

-3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.08 $4.08

-12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.62 $2.62

105.34%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$6.20 $6.20

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$14.95 $14.95

-8.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.47 $14.47

-2.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$18.36 $18.36

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.29 $4.29

20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.02 $2.02

-1.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.53 $5.53

-29.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.73 $5.73

-15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.87 $3.87

-27.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.93 $3.93

-32.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.30 $2.30

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$6.03 $6.03

-49.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$12.04 $12.04

15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.24 $15.24

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.64 $2.64

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$6.09 $6.09

-43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$54.6 $54.6

37.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$6.50 $6.50

-51.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.84 $1.84

-7.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$40.04 $40.04

-37.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.15 $1.15

11.30%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.4K $27.4K

30.38%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.06%

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

$192 $192

$162 $162

18.62%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$43.73 $43.73

59.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$76.1 $76.1

-18.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$17.52 $17.52

172.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$19.66 $19.66

37.84%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$10.85 $10.85

64.33%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,093 $1,093

66.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$16.5K $16.5K

145.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$39.76 $39.76

66.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$32.13 $32.13

59.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$80.6 $80.6

28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$100 $100

42.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,295 $1,295

95.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,238 $1,238

30.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,794 $1,794

169.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,848 $1,848

47.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,906 $1,906

118.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,681 $1,681

62.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,206 $4,206

17.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.29

7.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Harrisburg, PA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Harrisburg, PA

$1.2K 47.6% 23.7% $383

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Harrisburg, PA

$503 19.3% 14.5% $64

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Harrisburg, PA

$346 13.3% 0.7% $2.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Harrisburg, PA

$282 10.8% 13% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Harrisburg, PA

$114 4.4% 30.5% $50

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Harrisburg, PA

$78 3% 19.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Harrisburg, PA

$39 1.5% 53% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,295 in Harrisburg, PA. 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 17% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $64 in Harrisburg, PA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $503 in Harrisburg, PA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Harrisburg, PA

🕒 Local time

12:43 12:43 PM

13:43 1:43 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

49,528

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Harrisburg, PA 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Harrisburg, PA

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 Harrisburg, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,600 in Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg, PA comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,899 in Harrisburg, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Harrisburg, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,295 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% 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 $64 in Harrisburg, PA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Harrisburg, PA, where all-in costs run around $2,600, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Harrisburg, PA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Harrisburg, PA – 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 Harrisburg, PA. 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.