Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rocky Hill, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Rocky Hill, CT: $2,494 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 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
120

Cost of Living Index in Rocky Hill, CT
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Rocky Hill, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Rocky Hill, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,494

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Rocky Hill, CT

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 Rocky Hill, CT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,494 in Rocky Hill, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Rocky Hill, CT $2,494

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,698 in Rocky Hill, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Rocky Hill, CT $3,698

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,902 in Rocky Hill, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Rocky Hill, CT $4,902

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Rocky Hill, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Rocky Hill, CT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Rocky Hill, CT by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$18.94 $18.94

7.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$80.6 $80.6

9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.88 $11.88

8.16%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.27 $4.27

35.36%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.46 $2.46

11.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.51 $1.51

49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.13 $7.13

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.10 $7.10

30.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.32 $1.32

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.44 $4.44

-20.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.28 $4.28

25.70%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.09 $5.09

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$14.18 $14.18

-3.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.11 $10.11

39.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.33 $17.33

4.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.93 $5.93

-12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.11 $2.11

-6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.36 $4.36

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.49 $4.49

7.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.56 $1.56

80.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.65 $2.65

0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.17 $1.17

76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.06 $3.06

-0.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.60 $13.60

2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.83 $14.83

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.70 $1.70

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.96 $1.96

76.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.93 $1.93

25.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$51.7 $51.7

45.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.04 $3.04

4.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.12 $2.12

-19.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$42.80 $42.80

-41.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.19 $1.19

7.56%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.0K $28.0K

27.66%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.67%

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

$192 $192

$169 $169

13.78%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$50.2 $50.2

38.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$50.4 $50.4

23.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$43.51 $43.51

9.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.16 $13.16

35.49%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$825 $825

119.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

13.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$50.3 $50.3

31.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$37.73 $37.73

36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$52.4 $52.4

97.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$80.2 $80.2

77.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,594 $1,594

58.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,262 $1,262

28.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,579 $2,579

87.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,101 $2,101

30.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,519 $2,519

65.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,414 $2,414

12.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,960 $4,960

-0.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.72

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Rocky Hill, CT: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Rocky Hill, CT

$1.3K 50.6% 22.1% $359

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Rocky Hill, CT

$416 16.7% 5.3% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Rocky Hill, CT

$304 12.2% 11.6% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Rocky Hill, CT

$269 10.8% 16.8% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Rocky Hill, CT

$99 4% 39.3% $64

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Rocky Hill, CT

$73 2.9% 24.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Rocky Hill, CT

$70 2.8% 16.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,594 in Rocky Hill, CT. 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 $81 in Rocky Hill, CT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $416 – making Rocky Hill, CT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rocky Hill, CT

🕒 Local time

04:07 4:07 AM

05:07 5:07 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

18,806

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Rocky Hill, CT 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rocky Hill, CT

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 Rocky Hill, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,494 in Rocky Hill, CT – Rocky Hill, CT comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,740 in Rocky Hill, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rocky Hill, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in Rocky Hill, CT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Rocky Hill, CT, where all-in costs run around $2,494, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Rocky Hill, CT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Rocky Hill, CT is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 19% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.