Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and La Plata, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in La Plata, MD: $2,441 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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
117

Cost of Living Index in La Plata, MD
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La Plata, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

La Plata, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,441

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,441 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
La Plata, MD $2,441

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,635 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
La Plata, MD $3,635

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,829 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
La Plata, MD $4,829

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than La Plata, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and La Plata, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, La Plata, MD by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.52 $13.52

53.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$90.4 $90.4

-1.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.62 $7.62

73.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.29 $6.29

-10.02%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.56 $2.56

-10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.46 $3.46

98.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.96 $4.96

78.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.68 $1.68

-25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.42 $4.42

-15.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.23 $6.23

-13.48%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$1.81 $1.81

161.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.70 $12.70

8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.81 $8.81

63.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.15 $13.15

39.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.89 $4.89

6.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.32 $6.32

-35.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.44 $4.44

11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.04 $3.04

-12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.08 $2.08

27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.10 $2.10

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.72 $2.72

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.85 $11.85

16.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.37 $14.37

3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.10 $5.10

-31.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.1 $58.1

26.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.73 $2.73

16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.67 $1.67

-16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.72 $29.72

-15.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.6K $32.6K

7.52%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$30.5K $30.5K

-12.66%

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

$194 $194

$97.8 $97.8

98.71%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$42.02 $42.02

65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.5 $73.5

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.39 $40.39

18.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.14 $15.14

17.64%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,210 $1,210

48.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.0K $23.0K

38.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.79 $47.79

40.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.43 $36.43

43.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$112 $112

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,575 $1,575

60.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,284 $1,284

22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,492 $2,492

90.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,098 $2,098

28.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,038 $3,038

37.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,428 $2,428

14.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,502 $6,502

-24.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.25

8.96%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for La Plata, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

La Plata, MD

$1.3K 52.6% 18.7% $294

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

La Plata, MD

$398 16.3% 11% $49

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

La Plata, MD

$255 10.5% 26% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

La Plata, MD

$213 8.7% 34.5% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

La Plata, MD

$143 5.8% 13.1% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

La Plata, MD

$77 3.2% 17.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

La Plata, MD

$71 2.9% 15.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,575 in La Plata, 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 32% higher in La Plata, MD, 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 $90 in La Plata, MD. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $398 in La Plata, MD – so La Plata, MD wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 La Plata, MD

🕒 Local time

17:58 5:58 PM

18:58 6:58 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,000

💱 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 La Plata, MD 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,441 in La Plata, MD – La Plata, MD comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,661 in La Plata, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Plata, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,575 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 21% less in La Plata, MD. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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