Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Manchester, NH

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester, NH: $2,846 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 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
138

Cost of Living Index in Manchester, NH
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Manchester, NH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Manchester, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,846

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Manchester, NH

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 Manchester, NH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,846 in Manchester, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Manchester, NH $2,846

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,107 in Manchester, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Manchester, NH $4,107

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,368 in Manchester, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Manchester, NH $5,368

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Manchester, NH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Manchester, NH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Manchester, NH by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$26.53 $26.53

-22.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$79.0 $79.0

14.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.91 $10.91

18.61%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.22 $5.22

7.28%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.97 $1.97

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.84 $5.84

19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.92 $6.92

27.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.91 $2.91

30.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.89 $4.89

8.38%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.58 $4.58

3.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$9.98 $9.98

39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.97 $10.97

33.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.61 $19.61

-4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.88 $5.88

-11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.35 $2.35

-15.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.33 $4.33

-9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.17 $6.17

-19.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.42 $2.42

14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.22 $3.22

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.18 $2.18

1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.30 $2.30

29.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.62 $9.62

45.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.95 $14.95

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.93 $1.93

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.02 $5.02

-30.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.02 $2.02

22.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$60.2 $60.2

24.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.01 $3.01

10.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.71 $1.71

-16.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$30.06 $30.06

-19.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.94 $0.94

34.04%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.5K $33.5K

4.40%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.55%

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

$193 $193

$227 $227

-15.15%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$62.2 $62.2

9.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$70.5 $70.5

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.62 $41.62

30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$39.55 $39.55

-29.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.62 $11.62

52.67%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,336 $1,336

23.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.0K $23.0K

34.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$43.95 $43.95

50.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$45.17 $45.17

13.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$88.5 $88.5

13.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$112 $112

25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,682 $1,682

45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,431 $1,431

17.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,503 $2,503

88.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,219 $2,219

25.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,031 $3,031

35.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,998 $2,998

-11.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,257 $4,257

14.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.21

9.66%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Manchester, NH: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Manchester, NH

$1.4K 50.3% 14.7% $247

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Manchester, NH

$412 14.5% 8.3% $37

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Manchester, NH

$369 13% 7.3% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Manchester, NH

$360 12.6% 11.7% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Manchester, NH

$130 4.6% 19.1% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Manchester, NH

$80 2.8% 16.1% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Manchester, NH

$65 2.3% 27.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,682 in Manchester, NH. 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 14% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $79.0 in Manchester, NH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $412 – making Manchester, NH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Manchester, NH

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

08:34 8:34 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

109,497

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Manchester, NH 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Manchester, NH

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 Manchester, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,846 in Manchester, NH – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,270 in Manchester, NH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $79.0 in Manchester, NH. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,846 in Manchester, NH. 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 $2,846 in Manchester, NH to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manchester, NH. 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.