Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Royersford, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Royersford, PA: $2,700 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Royersford, PA
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Royersford, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Royersford, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,700

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Royersford, PA

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 Royersford, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,700 in Royersford, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Royersford, PA $2,700

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,969 in Royersford, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Royersford, PA $3,969

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,238 in Royersford, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Royersford, PA $5,238

Chicago, IL costs about 14% more than Royersford, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Royersford, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Royersford, PA by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$22.83 $22.83

-10.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$56.0 $56.0

58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$13.24 $13.24

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.35 $5.35

8.04%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.06 $3.06

-10.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.03 $3.03

-25.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.85 $6.85

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.23 $9.23

0.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.20 $1.20

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.24 $4.24

-16.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.81 $3.81

41.21%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.70 $4.70

-3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$17.04 $17.04

-19.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$16.11 $16.11

-12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$23.30 $23.30

-22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.25 $6.25

-17.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.40 $1.40

41.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.18 $4.18

-7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.09 $4.09

18.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.16 $2.16

30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.37 $3.37

-38.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.46 $2.46

23.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$14.85 $14.85

-6.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.66 $17.66

-14.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.75 $1.75

50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.17 $3.17

8.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.84 $1.84

32.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$63.8 $63.8

18.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.92 $4.92

-35.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.93 $2.93

-41.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$34.69 $34.69

-28.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.99 $0.99

29.29%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$23.1K $23.1K

54.83%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.6K $23.6K

13.39%

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

$192 $192

$161 $161

18.92%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$39.29 $39.29

77.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$50.1 $50.1

24.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.01 $40.01

19.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.90 $15.90

12.14%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$3,143 $3,143

-42.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.2K $20.2K

100.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$44.83 $44.83

47.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$56.4 $56.4

-8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$142 $142

-27.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$149 $149

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,558 $1,558

62.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,274 $1,274

27.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,554 $2,554

89.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,125 $2,125

28.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,729 $2,729

52.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,281 $2,281

19.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.99

-3.00%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Royersford, PA: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Royersford, PA

$1.3K 47.2% 21.4% $347

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Royersford, PA

$472 17.5% 7.5% $33

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Royersford, PA

$364 13.5% 5.7% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Royersford, PA

$251 9.3% 22.5% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Royersford, PA

$177 6.5% 7.9% $13

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Royersford, PA

$91 3.4% 6.1% $5.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Royersford, PA

$72 2.7% 14% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,558 in Royersford, PA. 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 $56 in Royersford, PA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $472 in Royersford, PA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Royersford, PA

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

05:41 5:41 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

4,800

💱 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 Royersford, PA 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Royersford, PA

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 Royersford, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,700 in Royersford, PA – Royersford, PA comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,049 in Royersford, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Royersford, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,558 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $56 in Royersford, PA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,700 in Royersford, PA. 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 $2,700 in Royersford, PA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.