Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Severn, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Severn, MD: $2,620 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Severn, MD
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Severn, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Severn, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,620

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Severn, MD

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 Severn, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,620 in Severn, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Severn, MD $2,620

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,893 in Severn, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Severn, MD $3,893

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,165 in Severn, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Severn, MD $5,165

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Severn, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Severn, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Severn, MD by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.68 $17.68

17.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$96.2 $96.2

-7.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.63 $10.63

24.08%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.38 $5.38

5.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.99 $2.99

-11.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.53 $2.53

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.86 $6.86

0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.92 $7.92

11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.99 $3.99

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.20 $4.20

28.33%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.80 $4.80

-1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.93 $12.93

7.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.92 $12.92

11.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.62 $18.62

-1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.77 $5.77

-9.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.78 $4.78

-15.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.99 $4.99

-0.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.69 $2.69

-0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.81 $2.81

-5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.27 $2.27

-1.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.34 $2.34

33.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.47 $9.47

45.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.41 $15.41

-3.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.66 $2.66

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.83 $2.83

24.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$68.0 $68.0

8.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.75 $1.75

81.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.25 $1.25

11.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.18 $24.18

3.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

19.99%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.60%

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

$194 $194

$161 $161

20.88%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.7 $50.7

36.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$61.0 $61.0

1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.54 $41.54

15.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.84 $14.84

20.01%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,608 $1,608

11.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$34.6K $34.6K

-7.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.0 $53.0

26.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$63.0 $63.0

-17.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$94.2 $94.2

7.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$112 $112

28.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,581 $1,581

59.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,308 $1,308

20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,481 $2,481

91.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,120 $2,120

27.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,742 $2,742

52.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,384 $2,384

16.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Severn, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Severn, MD

$1.3K 49.9% 17.1% $270

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Severn, MD

$429 16.4% 4.1% $18

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Severn, MD

$310 11.8% 10.1% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Severn, MD

$273 10.4% 16.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Severn, MD

$145 5.5% 11.7% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Severn, MD

$84 3.2% 9.8% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Severn, MD

$71 2.7% 14.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,581 in Severn, MD. 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 $96 in Severn, MD. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $429 in Severn, MD – so Severn, MD wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Severn, MD

🕒 Local time

17:10 5:10 PM

18:10 6:10 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

44,231

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Severn, MD 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Severn, MD

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 Severn, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,620 in Severn, MD – Severn, MD comes out roughly 14% 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 $3,931 in Severn, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Severn, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,581 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $96 in Severn, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,620 in Severn, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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