Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mason, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Mason, OH: $2,700 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Mason, OH
Learn more

Mason, OH Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Mason, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,700

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Mason, OH

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 Mason, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,700 in Mason, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Mason, OH $2,700

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,703 in Mason, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Mason, OH $2,703

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,706 in Mason, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Mason, OH $2,706

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Mason, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Mason, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Mason, OH by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.10 $13.10

58.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$56.8 $56.8

57.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$5.87 $5.87

124.70%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.08 $5.08

11.42%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.40 $2.40

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.92 $4.92

39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.12 $6.12

44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.73 $0.73

71.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.83 $2.83

31.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.02 $4.02

34.08%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.50 $3.50

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.35 $10.35

33.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.33 $10.33

39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.49 $14.49

26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.30 $5.30

-1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 $1.51

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.56 $5.56

-26.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.45 $4.45

11.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.15 $4.15

-35.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.21 $3.21

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.06 $2.06

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.16 $3.16

-0.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.05 $9.05

52.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.87 $12.87

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.78 $2.78

-8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.36 $4.36

-19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.96 $4.96

-35.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.64%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.04%

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

$194 $194

$192 $192

1.00%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$90.8 $90.8

-23.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.8 $70.8

-12.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$101 $101

-52.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.73 $14.73

20.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,225 $2,225

-19.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.9K $24.9K

28.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$51.9 $51.9

29.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.75 $30.75

69.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$117 $117

-13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$156 $156

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,584 $1,584

59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,427 $1,427

10.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,827 $1,827

159.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

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

$8,312 $8,312

-40.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.82

-0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mason, OH: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Mason, OH

$1.4K 52.9% 9.6% $151

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Mason, OH

$385 14.3% 13.9% $62

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Mason, OH

$238 8.8% 31% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Mason, OH

$354 13.1% 8.8% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Mason, OH

$160 5.9% 2.5% $4.2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Mason, OH

$5 * 0.2% 94.7% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Mason, OH

$131 4.8% 56.5% $47

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,584 in Mason, OH. 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 69% higher in Mason, OH, 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 $57 in Mason, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $385 – making Mason, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Mason, OH

🕒 Local time

01:03 1:03 AM

02:03 2:03 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

35,000

💱 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 Mason, OH 400 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Mason, OH

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 Mason, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,700 in Mason, OH – Mason, OH comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,049 in Mason, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mason, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,584 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $57 in Mason, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mason, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,700, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Mason, OH 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 $2,700 in Mason, OH to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.