Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Medford, MA: $3,072 and $3,043 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Medford, MA
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Medford, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Medford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,043

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,043 in Medford, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Medford, MA $3,043

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,134 in Medford, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Medford, MA $4,134

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,225 in Medford, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Medford, MA $5,225

Chicago, IL and Medford, MA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Medford, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Medford, MA by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$17.41 $17.41

17.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$92.9 $92.9

-4.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.15 $12.15

5.76%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.35 $5.35

8.04%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.87 $2.87

-4.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.52 $2.52

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$8.04 $8.04

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.78 $7.78

18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.08 $1.08

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.81 $3.81

-6.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.51 $5.51

-2.36%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.66 $4.66

-2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.13 $11.13

22.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.98 $13.98

0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.86 $17.86

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.84 $6.84

-24.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.81 $1.81

9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.51 $5.51

-29.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.66 $5.66

-14.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.42 $4.42

-36.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.03 $4.03

-33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.27 $2.27

-8.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.02 $1.02

197.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.36 $13.36

4.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.78 $13.78

9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.15 $2.15

22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.97 $3.97

-13.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.47 $2.47

-1.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.0 $59.0

27.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.61 $2.61

21.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.73 $1.73

-1.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$27.77 $27.77

-10.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.08 $1.08

18.52%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

32.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.55%

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

$192 $192

$236 $236

-18.64%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$55.8 $55.8

24.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$81.7 $81.7

-23.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$42.97 $42.97

11.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.12 $14.12

26.27%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,849 $1,849

-1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$44.9K $44.9K

-9.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$56.0 $56.0

18.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$37.57 $37.57

36.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$80.8 $80.8

27.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$101 $101

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,554 $1,554

62.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,647 $1,647

-1.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,594 $2,594

86.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,116 $2,116

29.21%

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

$2,298 $2,298

18.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

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 Medford, MA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Medford, MA

$1.6K 54.1% 1.6% $26

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Medford, MA

$431 14.2% 1.9% $8.4

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Medford, MA

$317 10.4% 7.8% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Medford, MA

$373 12.3% 15.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Medford, MA

$124 4.1% 24.3% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Medford, MA

$80 2.6% 17.2% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Medford, MA

$71 2.3% 14.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,554 in Medford, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $93 in Medford, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $431 in Medford, MA – so Medford, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Medford, MA

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

04:42 4:42 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

56,173

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,565 in Medford, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medford, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,554 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,849 in Medford, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Medford, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,043 in Medford, 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 $3,043 in Medford, MA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.