Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lower Burrell, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lower Burrell, PA: $2,599 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

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

Cost of Living Index in Lower Burrell, PA
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Lower Burrell, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Lower Burrell, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,599 in Lower Burrell, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Lower Burrell, PA $2,599

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,722 in Lower Burrell, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Lower Burrell, PA $3,722

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,845 in Lower Burrell, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Lower Burrell, PA $4,845

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Lower Burrell, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Lower Burrell, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Lower Burrell, PA by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.82 $17.82

15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$61.8 $61.8

45.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.47 $9.47

36.64%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.69 $5.69

-1.58%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.29 $2.29

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.64 $1.64

38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.18 $4.18

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.15 $5.15

71.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.83 $0.83

53.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.36 $3.36

13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.35 $4.35

21.84%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.48 $4.48

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.54 $13.54

3.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.42 $12.42

17.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.96 $19.96

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.96 $4.96

4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.02 $4.02

-2.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.92 $3.92

26.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.93 $2.93

-5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.29 $3.29

-16.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.20 $2.20

0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.08 $2.08

43.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.70 $9.70

44.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.07 $15.07

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.41 $2.41

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.61 $3.61

-3.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.04 $2.04

21.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.70 $2.70

23.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.51 $1.51

-5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$26.21 $26.21

-7.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.5K $35.5K

-1.30%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.01%

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

$193 $193

$220 $220

-12.32%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$65.3 $65.3

4.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$72.9 $72.9

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.48 $41.48

30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.51 $13.51

31.31%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,090 $1,090

51.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$18.6K $18.6K

66.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$62.3 $62.3

6.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.82 $39.82

28.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.2 $80.2

24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$118 $118

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,595 $1,595

53.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,325 $1,325

26.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,489 $2,489

89.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,114 $2,114

32.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,452 $2,452

67.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,121 $2,121

24.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lower Burrell, PA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Lower Burrell, PA

$1.3K 51% 21.1% $353

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Lower Burrell, PA

$409 15.7% 9.1% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Lower Burrell, PA

$286 11% 16.7% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Lower Burrell, PA

$358 13.8% 11.1% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Lower Burrell, PA

$135 5.2% 16.2% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Lower Burrell, PA

$18 * 0.7% 80.6% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Lower Burrell, PA

$69 2.6% 23.5% $21

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,595 in Lower Burrell, PA. 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $62.0 in Lower Burrell, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $409 – making Lower Burrell, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lower Burrell, PA

🕒 Local time

23:35 11:35 PM

00:35 12:35 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

12,350

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Lower Burrell, PA 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Lower Burrell, 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 Lower Burrell, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,599 in Lower Burrell, PA – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,899 in Lower Burrell, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lower Burrell, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $62.0 in Lower Burrell, PA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,599 in Lower Burrell, PA. 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 $2,599 in Lower Burrell, PA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lower Burrell, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.