Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Portland, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,262 in Portland, ME, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Portland, ME
Learn more

Portland, ME Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,262

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Portland, ME

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 Portland, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,262 in Portland, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Portland, ME $3,262

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,710 in Portland, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Portland, ME $4,710

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,158 in Portland, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Portland, ME $6,158

Chicago, IL is about 7% cheaper than Portland, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Portland, ME sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Portland, ME by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.87 $24.87

-16.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$120 $120

-25.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.86 $14.86

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.12 $6.12

-7.52%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.01 $3.01

-12.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.47 $2.47

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.05 $8.05

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.04 $8.04

9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.64 $4.64

-19.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$8.56 $8.56

-37.03%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.92 $3.92

20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.77 $18.77

-26.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.33 $10.33

39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.45 $16.45

11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.63 $4.63

12.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.70 $1.70

16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.85 $5.85

-30.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.84 $6.84

-27.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$6.36 $6.36

-58.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.80 $3.80

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.19 $3.19

-29.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.54 $2.54

23.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.12 $12.12

14.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.06 $15.06

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.88 $1.88

35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.54 $2.54

38.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.5 $60.5

21.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.02 $2.02

57.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 $1.58

-12.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$10.80 $10.80

131.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.17%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.15%

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

$194 $194

$224 $224

-13.11%

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

$69.5 $69.5

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.4 $76.4

-19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$51.8 $51.8

-7.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$39.22 $39.22

-30.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.96 $13.96

27.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,263 $1,263

42.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.7 $52.7

27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$81.2 $81.2

-35.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$133 $133

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,102 $2,102

20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,703 $1,703

-7.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,156 $3,156

50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,524 $2,524

6.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,509 $5,509

-23.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,978 $3,978

-30.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,598 $4,598

7.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.5

4.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Portland, ME

$1.7K 52.2% 7.9% $125

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Portland, ME

$470 14.4% 5.1% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Portland, ME

$395 12.1% 14.6% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Portland, ME

$370 11.3% 13.6% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Portland, ME

$166 5.1% 1.2% $1.9

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Portland, ME

$78 2.4% 16.1% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Portland, ME

$80 2.4% 4.6% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,102 in Portland, ME. 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 7% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $120 in Portland, ME. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $470 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Portland, ME

🕒 Local time

17:19 5:19 PM

18:19 6:19 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

652,503

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Portland, ME 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Portland, ME

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 Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,262 in Portland, ME – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 7% 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 $4,893 in Portland, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portland, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Portland, ME, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $120 in Portland, ME. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,262 in Portland, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $3,262 in Portland, ME. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.