Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Parma, OH: $2,221 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 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
107

Cost of Living Index in Parma, OH
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Parma, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Parma, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,221

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,221 in Parma, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Parma, OH $2,221

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,303 in Parma, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Parma, OH $3,303

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,385 in Parma, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Parma, OH $4,385

Chicago, IL costs about 37% more than Parma, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Parma, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Parma, OH by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.26 $18.26

13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$62.5 $62.5

42.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.39 $11.39

15.80%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

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

$6.05 $6.05

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.80 $7.80

13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.26 $3.26

14.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.35 $4.35

23.91%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.93 $3.93

20.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.26 $13.26

4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.35 $12.35

16.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.15 $18.15

1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.09 $5.09

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.07 $4.07

-0.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.90 $4.90

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.59 $2.59

3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.04 $3.04

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.27 $2.27

-1.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.15 $2.15

45.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.92 $9.92

39.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.25 $15.25

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.44 $2.44

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.41 $3.41

2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.47 $2.47

-1.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.78 $2.78

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.59 $1.59

-12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.82 $23.82

5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.05 $1.05

14.29%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.0K $34.0K

2.98%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.14%

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

$194 $194

$211 $211

-8.02%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.8 $58.8

18.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.4 $69.4

-11.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$10.13 $10.13

372.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.96 $11.96

48.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,016 $1,016

76.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.6K $18.6K

71.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.6 $58.6

14.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.72 $38.72

34.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.9 $97.9

3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$118 $118

21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$952 $952

165.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$970 $970

62.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,508 $1,508

214.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,696 $1,696

58.74%

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

$3,879 $3,879

27.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.49

4.93%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Parma, OH: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Parma, OH

$970 43.7% 38.5% $608

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Parma, OH

$403 18.2% 9.8% $44

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Parma, OH

$312 14% 9.6% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Parma, OH

$340 15.3% 4.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Parma, OH

$141 6.4% 14% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Parma, OH

$21 * 0.9% 77.9% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Parma, OH

$34 1.5% 59.2% $49

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 $952 in Parma, 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 27% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $63 in Parma, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $403 – making Parma, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Parma, OH

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

79,982

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Parma, OH 490 km

From you

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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 Parma, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,221 in Parma, OH – Parma, OH comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,331 in Parma, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Parma, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $952 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $63 in Parma, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,221 in Parma, OH. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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