Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,435 in Malden, MA, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Malden, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Malden, MA
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Malden, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Malden, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,435

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,435 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Malden, MA $3,435

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,750 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Malden, MA $4,750

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,065 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Malden, MA $6,065

Chicago, IL is about 12% cheaper than Malden, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Malden, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Malden, MA by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.65 $19.65

5.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$95.0 $95.0

-6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.72 $13.72

-3.86%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.31 $5.31

6.59%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.97 $2.97

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.23 $2.23

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.68 $5.68

20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.10 $8.10

9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.90 $3.90

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.49 $5.49

-1.82%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.77 $4.77

-0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.32 $12.32

12.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.03 $14.03

2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.57 $17.57

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.63 $6.63

-21.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.72 $1.72

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.52 $5.52

-26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.50 $5.50

-9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.42 $4.42

-39.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.89 $1.89

40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.59 $2.59

-13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.23 $2.23

40.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.06 $13.06

5.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.43 $13.43

10.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.17 $2.17

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.40 $4.40

-20.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.55 $2.55

-4.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$88.3 $88.3

-16.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.53 $2.53

25.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.79 $1.79

-22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$27.47 $27.47

-8.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.43%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.26%

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

$194 $194

$247 $247

-21.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.2 $54.2

28.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$86.1 $86.1

-28.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.66 $34.66

38.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.85 $15.85

12.37%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,848 $1,848

-2.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.4K $29.4K

8.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.0 $56.0

19.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.57 $37.57

38.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$79.5 $79.5

27.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$99.9 $99.9

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,422 $2,422

4.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,975 $1,975

-20.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,534 $3,534

34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,834 $2,834

-4.98%

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

$4,644 $4,644

6.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Malden, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Malden, MA

$2K 57.5% 25.1% $397

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Malden, MA

$446 13% 0.3% $1.2

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Malden, MA

$327 9.5% 5.1% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Malden, MA

$387 11.3% 18.9% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Malden, MA

$123 3.6% 25.1% $41

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Malden, MA

$110 3.2% 17.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Malden, MA

$66 1.9% 20.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,422 in Malden, 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 6% 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 $95 in Malden, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $446 in Malden, MA – so Malden, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Malden, MA

🕒 Local time

05:40 5:40 AM

06:40 6:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

59,450

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Malden, MA 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Malden, 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 Malden, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,435 in Malden, MA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 12% 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 $5,152 in Malden, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,422 in Malden, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $95 in Malden, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,435 in Malden, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,435 in Malden, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.