Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Pittsfield, MA: $2,591 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Pittsfield, MA
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Pittsfield, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Pittsfield, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,591

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,591 in Pittsfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Pittsfield, MA $2,591

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,509 in Pittsfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Pittsfield, MA $4,509

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,427 in Pittsfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Pittsfield, MA $6,427

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Pittsfield, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Pittsfield, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Pittsfield, MA by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.68 $17.68

17.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$95.8 $95.8

-6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.52 $13.52

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.09 $5.09

11.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.82 $2.82

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.07 $5.07

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.22 $8.22

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.08 $1.08

15.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.11 $4.11

-9.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.54 $5.54

-2.71%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.78 $4.78

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.23 $11.23

23.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.35 $14.35

0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.72 $17.72

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.52 $6.52

-19.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.74 $1.74

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.55 $6.55

-38.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.42 $5.42

-8.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$6.68 $6.68

-60.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.45 $4.45

-40.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.06 $3.06

-26.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.58 $13.58

1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.66 $13.66

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.10 $2.10

20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.14 $4.14

-15.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.65%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.60%

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

$194 $194

$273 $273

-28.74%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.34 $39.34

76.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$84.0 $84.0

-26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.65 $39.65

20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.26 $14.26

24.89%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,829 $1,829

-1.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$30.2K $30.2K

5.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.3 $56.3

19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.06 $39.06

33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$78.5 $78.5

29.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$102 $102

41.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,575 $1,575

60.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,260 $1,260

25.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,517 $4,517

4.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,466 $3,466

-22.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,002 $3,002

39.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,037 $3,037

-8.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pittsfield, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Pittsfield, MA

$1.3K 48.6% 20.2% $318

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Pittsfield, MA

$435 * 16.8% 2.7% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Pittsfield, MA

$307 11.9% 10.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Pittsfield, MA

$396 15.3% 21.7% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Pittsfield, MA

$124 4.8% 24.3% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Pittsfield, MA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Pittsfield, MA

$68 2.6% 18.4% $15

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 $1,575 in Pittsfield, 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 $96 in Pittsfield, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $435 in Pittsfield, MA – so Pittsfield, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pittsfield, MA

🕒 Local time

05:40 5:40 AM

06:40 6:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

43,927

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Pittsfield, MA 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,591 in Pittsfield, MA – Pittsfield, MA comes out roughly 15% 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 $3,887 in Pittsfield, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pittsfield, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,575 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $96 in Pittsfield, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pittsfield, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,591, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Pittsfield, MA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,591 in Pittsfield, MA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.