Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and New Bedford, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in New Bedford, MA: $2,753 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in New Bedford, MA
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New Bedford, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

New Bedford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,753

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,753 in New Bedford, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
New Bedford, MA $2,753

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,820 in New Bedford, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
New Bedford, MA $3,820

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,887 in New Bedford, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
New Bedford, MA $4,887

Chicago, IL costs about 14% more than New Bedford, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and New Bedford, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, New Bedford, MA by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.68 $19.68

4.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$59.1 $59.1

52.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$5.95 $5.95

117.48%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.11 $4.11

36.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.31 $2.31

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.23 $1.23

84.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.04 $6.04

15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.08 $4.08

116.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.01 $1.01

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.58 $4.58

-17.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$16.26 $16.26

-67.40%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$6.42 $6.42

-25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.57 $10.57

32.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.74 $10.74

36.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.16 $19.16

-2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.38 $5.38

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.47 $4.47

-55.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.38 $3.38

16.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.01 $3.01

64.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.22 $2.22

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.41 $2.41

14.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.75 $2.75

-19.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.88 $2.88

3.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$13.07 $13.07

7.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.85 $16.85

-9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.92 $1.92

34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.84 $2.84

23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$6.12 $6.12

-45.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.20 $2.20

-35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.09 $1.09

15.60%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.25%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.91%

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

$193 $193

$181 $181

6.33%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$36.85 $36.85

85.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$58.6 $58.6

4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$28.95 $28.95

86.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.43 $12.43

42.72%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,133 $2,133

-22.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$38.67 $38.67

70.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$16.01 $16.01

220.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$99.5 $99.5

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,869 $1,869

30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,581 $1,581

6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,615 $2,615

80.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,341 $2,341

19.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,641 $4,641

4.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.42

25.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for New Bedford, MA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

New Bedford, MA

$1.6K 57.5% 5.7% $96

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

New Bedford, MA

$478 17.4% 6.3% $28

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

New Bedford, MA

$277 10.1% 19.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

New Bedford, MA

$277 10.1% 14.1% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

New Bedford, MA

$69 * 2.5% 57% $92

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

New Bedford, MA

$17 * 0.6% 82% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

New Bedford, MA

$54 2% 39.9% $36

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,869 in New Bedford, MA. 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 5% 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 $59.0 in New Bedford, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $478 in New Bedford, MA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 New Bedford, MA

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

02:01 2:01 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

92,538

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL New Bedford, MA 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,753 in New Bedford, MA – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,130 in New Bedford, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $59.0 in New Bedford, MA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,753 in New Bedford, 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 $2,753 in New Bedford, MA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with New Bedford, MA. 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.