Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Martinsburg, WV

For one person, living is cheaper in Martinsburg, WV: $2,251 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 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
108

Cost of Living Index in Martinsburg, WV
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Martinsburg, WV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Martinsburg, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,251

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Martinsburg, WV

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 Martinsburg, WV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,251 in Martinsburg, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Martinsburg, WV $2,251

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,392 in Martinsburg, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Martinsburg, WV $3,392

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,534 in Martinsburg, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Martinsburg, WV $4,534

Chicago, IL costs about 39% more than Martinsburg, WV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Martinsburg, WV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Martinsburg, WV by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.78 $20.78

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$79.9 $79.9

12.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.23 $12.23

5.81%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.31 $4.31

29.93%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.06 $3.06

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.31 $2.31

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.14 $8.14

-14.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.64 $8.64

2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.91 $0.91

39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.83 $2.83

34.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.26 $3.26

62.58%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.38 $3.38

40.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.52 $11.52

21.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.41 $8.41

73.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.99 $16.99

10.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.02 $4.02

29.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.26 $3.26

20.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.10 $5.10

-2.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.86 $2.86

-3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.76 $3.76

-26.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.55 $2.55

-12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.02 $2.02

47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.61 $9.61

45.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.13 $12.13

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.89 $2.89

-10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.94 $2.94

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.45 $3.45

-28.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$71.1 $71.1

5.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.88 $3.88

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.57 $1.57

-8.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.67 $24.67

-1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

-1.92%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.70%

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

$193 $193

$199 $199

-3.13%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$39.48 $39.48

72.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$71.2 $71.2

-13.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.75 $44.75

20.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$20.26 $20.26

37.81%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.82 $14.82

19.70%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$3,249 $3,249

-49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$41.0K $41.0K

-24.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$49.24 $49.24

34.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$44.43 $44.43

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.4 $80.4

24.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$120 $120

17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,202 $1,202

103.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$950 $950

76.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,605 $1,605

193.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,644 $1,644

70.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,976 $1,976

107.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,029 $2,029

30.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,814 $4,814

1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Martinsburg, WV: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Martinsburg, WV

$950 42.2% 43.4% $727

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Martinsburg, WV

$353 15.7% 21.4% $96

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Martinsburg, WV

$334 14.9% 2.7% $9.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Martinsburg, WV

$310 13.8% 3.9% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Martinsburg, WV

$132 5.9% 17.9% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Martinsburg, WV

$97 4.3% 1.6% $1.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Martinsburg, WV

$74 3.3% 17% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,202 in Martinsburg, WV. 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 1% 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 $80.0 in Martinsburg, WV. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $353 – making Martinsburg, WV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Martinsburg, WV

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

04:11 4:11 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

16,392

💱 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 Martinsburg, WV 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Martinsburg, WV

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 Martinsburg, WV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,251 in Martinsburg, WV – roughly 39% 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 $3,376 in Martinsburg, WV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $80.0 in Martinsburg, WV. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Martinsburg, WV, where all-in costs run around $2,251, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Martinsburg, WV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,251 in Martinsburg, WV to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Martinsburg, WV. 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.