Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lexington Park, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Lexington Park, MD: $2,783 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Lexington Park, MD
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Lexington Park, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lexington Park, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,783

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,783 in Lexington Park, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lexington Park, MD $2,783

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,959 in Lexington Park, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lexington Park, MD $3,959

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,135 in Lexington Park, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lexington Park, MD $5,135

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Lexington Park, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Lexington Park, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lexington Park, MD by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.31 $13.31

55.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$89.3 $89.3

-0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.43 $7.43

77.52%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.34 $6.34

-10.73%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.67 $2.67

-1.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.69 $2.69

-15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$9.99 $9.99

-31.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.74 $8.74

1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.68 $1.68

-25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.57 $4.57

-18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.26 $7.26

-25.76%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$7.70 $7.70

-38.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.37 $16.37

-15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.79 $16.79

-14.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.27 $19.27

-4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.94 $4.94

5.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.31 $6.31

-35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.28 $5.28

-5.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.02 $3.02

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.07 $2.07

28.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.10 $2.10

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.79 $2.79

12.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.63 $13.63

1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.07 $15.07

-1.26%

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

$4.99 $4.99

-29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.4K $27.4K

27.70%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.87%

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

$194 $194

$150 $150

29.29%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$48.89 $48.89

42.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.7 $73.7

-16.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$24.54 $24.54

95.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.99 $16.99

4.83%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,267 $2,267

-20.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$60.2K $60.2K

-46.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.95 $46.95

42.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.14 $36.14

44.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$109 $109

-6.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$119 $119

20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,507 $1,507

67.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,514 $1,514

4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,865 $1,865

154.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,202 $2,202

22.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lexington Park, MD: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lexington Park, MD

$1.5K 54.4% 4% $64

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lexington Park, MD

$503 18.1% 12.5% $56

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lexington Park, MD

$294 10.6% 14.8% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lexington Park, MD

$273 9.8% 16.1% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lexington Park, MD

$140 5% 14.6% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lexington Park, MD

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lexington Park, MD

$59 2.1% 29.9% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,507 in Lexington Park, MD. 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 $89 in Lexington Park, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $503 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lexington Park, MD

🕒 Local time

00:27 12:27 AM

01:27 1:27 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,626

💱 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 Lexington Park, MD 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Lexington Park, 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 Lexington Park, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,783 in Lexington Park, MD – Lexington Park, MD comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,174 in Lexington Park, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lexington Park, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,507 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,267 in Lexington Park, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,783 in Lexington Park, MD. That makes Lexington Park, MD about 8% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,783 in Lexington Park, MD. 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 $2,783 in Lexington Park, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.