Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Scranton, PA: $2,386 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Scranton, PA
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Scranton, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Scranton, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,386

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,386 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Scranton, PA $2,386

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,328 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Scranton, PA $3,328

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,270 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Scranton, PA $4,270

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than Scranton, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Scranton, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Scranton, PA by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$11.79 $11.79

75.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$77.1 $77.1

15.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$6.01 $6.01

119.47%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.37 $4.37

29.52%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.52 $1.52

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.02 $1.02

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.71 $6.71

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.69 $7.69

14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.75 $0.75

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.38 $1.38

169.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.13 $2.13

153.05%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.31 $3.31

43.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.91 $10.91

26.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.67 $8.67

66.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.19 $11.19

64.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.67 $3.67

42.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.28 $1.28

54.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.36 $3.36

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.46 $4.46

11.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.01 $3.01

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.24 $3.24

-17.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.02 $2.02

10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.03 $1.03

203.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.28 $9.28

48.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.04 $12.04

23.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.93 $2.93

-13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.81 $4.81

-27.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.78 $1.78

36.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.6 $60.6

21.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.22 $3.22

-1.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.00 $2.00

-30.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.65 $24.65

1.54%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

29.40%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.20%

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

$194 $194

$237 $237

-17.88%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.88 $39.88

74.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$49.44 $49.44

24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$24.90 $24.90

92.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$15.78 $15.78

73.26%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.20 $11.20

59.02%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$769 $769

133.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.8K $17.8K

79.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$45.86 $45.86

46.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.04 $30.04

73.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$73.8 $73.8

37.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$84.0 $84.0

71.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,274 $1,274

98.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,304 $1,304

21.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,143 $2,143

121.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,880 $1,880

43.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,703 $1,703

146.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,421 $1,421

94.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,250 $3,250

51.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Scranton, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Scranton, PA

$1.3K 54.7% 17.4% $274

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Scranton, PA

$299 12.5% 33.2% $149

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Scranton, PA

$224 9.4% 35.1% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Scranton, PA

$326 13.7% 0.2% $0.6

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Scranton, PA

$105 4.4% 35.9% $59

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Scranton, PA

$81 3.4% 13.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Scranton, PA

$47 2% 43.4% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,274 in Scranton, PA. 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 52% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $77 in Scranton, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $299 – making Scranton, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Scranton, PA

🕒 Local time

16:29 4:29 PM

17:29 5:29 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

72,861

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Scranton, PA 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Scranton, 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 Scranton, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,386 in Scranton, PA – Scranton, PA comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,579 in Scranton, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scranton, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,274 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $77 in Scranton, PA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

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