Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lynn, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,210 in Lynn, MA, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 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
155

Cost of Living Index in Lynn, MA
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Lynn, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Lynn, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Lynn, MA

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 Lynn, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,210 in Lynn, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Lynn, MA $3,210

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,604 in Lynn, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Lynn, MA $4,604

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,999 in Lynn, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Lynn, MA $5,999

Chicago, IL is about 4% cheaper than Lynn, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Lynn, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Lynn, MA by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.63 $19.63

3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$99.9 $99.9

-11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.79 $14.79

-13.12%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.14 $5.14

12.45%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.93 $2.93

-6.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.29 $2.29

-1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.84 $7.84

-12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.19 $8.19

12.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.17 $1.17

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.37 $4.37

-18.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.35 $5.35

0.56%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.47 $5.47

-16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.24 $13.24

3.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.12 $14.12

-0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.58 $17.58

2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.59 $6.59

-21.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.09 $2.09

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.41 $5.41

-28.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.55 $5.55

-12.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.57 $2.57

9.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.56 $2.56

4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.26 $2.26

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.84 $2.84

6.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.19 $13.19

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.86 $13.86

8.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.08 $2.08

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.81 $3.81

-9.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.01 $2.01

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.1 $59.1

27.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.04 $4.04

-21.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.44 $2.44

-30.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$27.47 $27.47

-9.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.5K $30.5K

17.38%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

0.14%

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

$192 $192

$313 $313

-38.63%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$101 $101

-31.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$85.0 $85.0

-26.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.14 $40.14

19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.20 $16.20

10.06%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,814 $1,814

0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$43.5K $43.5K

-6.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$75.3 $75.3

-12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$50.3 $50.3

2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$112 $112

-7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$154 $154

-7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,125 $2,125

19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,580 $1,580

2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$3,342 $3,342

44.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,459 $2,459

11.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,788 $2,788

49.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,360 $2,360

15.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,660 $3,660

34.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.64

2.11%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Lynn, MA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Lynn, MA

$1.6K 49.2% 2.5% $41

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Lynn, MA

$458 14.3% 4.4% $19

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Lynn, MA

$340 10.6% 1.3% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Lynn, MA

$499 15.6% 54.2% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Lynn, MA

$176 5.5% 7.7% $13

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Lynn, MA

$83 2.6% 13.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Lynn, MA

$73 2.3% 13.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,125 in Lynn, MA. 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 35% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $100 in Lynn, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $458 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lynn, MA

🕒 Local time

18:25 6:25 PM

19:25 7:25 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

90,329

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Lynn, MA 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Lynn, MA

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 Lynn, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $3,210 in Lynn, MA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 4% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,815 in Lynn, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lynn, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,125 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Lynn, MA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Lynn, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,210 in Lynn, MA. 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,210 in Lynn, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.