Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Middletown, OH: $1,964 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Middletown, OH
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Middletown, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Middletown, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,964 in Middletown, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Middletown, OH $1,964

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,921 in Middletown, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Middletown, OH $2,921

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,878 in Middletown, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Middletown, OH $3,878

Chicago, IL costs about 55% more than Middletown, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Middletown, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Middletown, OH by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.79 $14.79

40.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$65.4 $65.4

36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.21 $9.21

43.21%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.41 $4.41

28.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.38 $2.38

10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.02 $2.02

12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$2.93 $2.93

134.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.83 $5.83

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.71 $0.71

76.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.18 $3.18

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.40 $3.40

58.53%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.92 $2.92

62.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.45 $12.45

11.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.09 $10.09

42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.34 $17.34

6.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.62 $5.62

-7.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 $1.46

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.26 $2.26

79.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.26 $4.26

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.25 $2.25

18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.94 $2.94

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.94 $1.94

15.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.54 $2.54

23.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.17 $11.17

23.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.99 $11.99

24.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.05 $2.05

23.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.49 $3.49

0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.02 $2.02

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$66.4 $66.4

10.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.99 $1.99

59.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.69 $1.69

-17.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$34.51 $34.51

-27.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.81 $0.81

48.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.0K $31.0K

13.06%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.63%

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

$194 $194

$234 $234

-17.07%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.0 $60.0

15.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$48.87 $48.87

26.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.89 $42.89

11.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.06 $10.06

77.04%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,719 $1,719

4.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.9K $23.9K

33.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.0 $55.0

21.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.98 $44.98

15.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.1 $91.1

11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$946 $946

167.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$726 $726

117.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,329 $1,329

256.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,212 $1,212

122.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,499 $2,499

67.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,574 $2,574

7.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,933 $5,933

-16.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Middletown, OH: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Middletown, OH

$726 37% 54% $852

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Middletown, OH

$363 18.5% 18.8% $84

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Middletown, OH

$243 12.4% 29.6% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Middletown, OH

$343 17.5% 5.5% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Middletown, OH

$141 7.2% 14.3% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Middletown, OH

$85 4.3% 9.1% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Middletown, OH

$63 3.2% 24.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $946 in Middletown, 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 20% higher in Middletown, 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 $65 in Middletown, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $363 – making Middletown, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Middletown, OH

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

04:20 4:20 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

47,648

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Middletown, OH 380 km

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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 Middletown, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,964 in Middletown, OH – Middletown, OH comes out roughly 35% 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 $2,946 in Middletown, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middletown, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $946 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $65 in Middletown, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Middletown, OH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Middletown, OH is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 35% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.