Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $4,172 in Quincy, MA, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
198

Cost of Living Index in Quincy, MA
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Quincy, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Quincy, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,172 in Quincy, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Quincy, MA $4,172

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,775 in Quincy, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Quincy, MA $5,775

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,379 in Quincy, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Quincy, MA $7,379

Chicago, IL is about 26% cheaper than Quincy, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Quincy, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Quincy, MA by 209%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$29.67 $29.67

-31.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$118 $118

-25.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.10 $12.10

6.20%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.23 $5.23

10.52%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.93 $2.93

-6.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.53 $2.53

-10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.79 $6.79

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.83 $7.83

18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.87 $3.87

-8.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.45 $5.45

-1.28%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.89 $4.89

-6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.08 $11.08

23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.26 $14.26

-1.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.97 $17.97

0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.90 $6.90

-25.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.09 $2.09

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.61 $6.61

-41.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.58 $6.58

-26.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.54 $3.54

-20.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.97 $3.97

-32.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.64 $2.64

-21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.57 $1.57

92.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.13 $13.13

5.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.96 $13.96

7.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.07 $2.07

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.92 $3.92

-11.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.39 $2.39

1.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$109 $109

-30.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.05 $4.05

-21.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.79 $1.79

-5.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$28.37 $28.37

-12.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.14 $1.14

12.28%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

30.17%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

0.17%

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

$192 $192

$242 $242

-20.49%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$56.9 $56.9

22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$80.2 $80.2

-22.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$79.3 $79.3

-39.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$50.4 $50.4

-46.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.19 $15.19

17.38%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,808 $1,808

0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$44.5K $44.5K

-8.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$64.1 $64.1

3.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$38.57 $38.57

33.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$100.0 $100.0

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$102 $102

40.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$3,126 $3,126

-19.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$2,556 $2,556

-36.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$4,514 $4,514

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$3,622 $3,622

-24.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,261 $3,261

27.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,247 $1,247

118.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,950 $5,950

-17.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.64

2.11%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Quincy, MA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Quincy, MA

$2.6K 61.3% 57.6% $935

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Quincy, MA

$452 10.8% 2.8% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Quincy, MA

$408 9.8% 18.6% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Quincy, MA

$379 9.1% 16.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Quincy, MA

$137 3.3% 16.3% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Quincy, MA

$132 3.2% 36.1% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Quincy, MA

$110 2.6% 31.5% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $3,126 in Quincy, 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 21% higher in Quincy, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $118 in Quincy, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $452 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Quincy, MA

🕒 Local time

02:27 2:27 AM

03:27 3:27 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

92,271

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Quincy, MA 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $4,172 in Quincy, MA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $6,258 in Quincy, 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,531 there versus $3,126 in Quincy, MA.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $118 in Quincy, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $4,172 in Quincy, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $4,172 in Quincy, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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