Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,464 in Newton, MA, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Newton, MA
Learn more

Newton, MA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Newton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,464

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,464 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Newton, MA $3,464

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,919 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Newton, MA $5,919

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,374 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Newton, MA $8,374

Chicago, IL is about 9% cheaper than Newton, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Newton, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Newton, MA by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$29.99 $29.99

-31.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$121 $121

-25.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.19 $12.19

6.15%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.21 $6.21

-9.82%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.16 $3.16

-16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.22 $2.22

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.78 $7.78

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.21 $8.21

7.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.16 $1.16

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.62 $4.62

-17.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$7.11 $7.11

-25.46%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.44 $4.44

7.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$19.11 $19.11

-26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.18 $11.18

30.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.03 $16.03

17.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.27 $5.27

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.45 $5.45

-27.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.70 $6.70

-25.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.37 $4.37

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.79 $3.79

-27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.89 $2.89

-23.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.61 $2.61

14.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.62 $12.62

11.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.55 $15.55

-1.74%

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

$2.55 $2.55

37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.37 $2.37

4.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$88.2 $88.2

-15.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.03 $2.03

64.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.59 $1.59

-10.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$11.10 $11.10

119.10%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

29.91%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.00%

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

$193 $193

$247 $247

-21.84%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$55.5 $55.5

22.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$78.3 $78.3

-21.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$64.3 $64.3

-15.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.22 $16.22

9.37%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,889 $2,889

-42.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$35.3K $35.3K

-12.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$73.0 $73.0

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$50.9 $50.9

0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$114 $114

-12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$131 $131

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,790 $1,790

36.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,819 $1,819

-7.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$5,062 $5,062

-6.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$4,612 $4,612

-39.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$5,636 $5,636

-27.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$4,958 $4,958

-46.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$7,787 $7,787

-37.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Newton, MA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Newton, MA

$1.8K 52.5% 8.4% $142

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Newton, MA

$466 13.5% 3.7% $17

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Newton, MA

$428 12.4% 24.6% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Newton, MA

$380 11% 18% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Newton, MA

$166 4.8% 3% $4.8

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Newton, MA

$108 3.1% 13.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Newton, MA

$97 2.8% 7.9% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,790 in Newton, 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 60% higher in Newton, MA, 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 $121 in Newton, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $466 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Newton, MA

🕒 Local time

07:32 7:32 AM

08:32 8:32 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

85,146

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Newton, MA 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,464 in Newton, MA – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,196 in Newton, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% more in Newton, MA, 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 $121 in Newton, MA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,464 in Newton, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,464 in Newton, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Newton, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.