Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Silver Spring, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Silver Spring, MD: $2,701 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Silver Spring, MD
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Silver Spring, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Silver Spring, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Silver Spring, MD $2,701

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,945 in Silver Spring, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Silver Spring, MD $3,945

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,190 in Silver Spring, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Silver Spring, MD $5,190

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Silver Spring, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Silver Spring, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Silver Spring, MD by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.30 $13.30

55.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$89.1 $89.1

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.38 $7.38

78.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.92 $5.92

-4.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.83 $2.83

-6.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.47 $2.47

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.80 $7.80

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.41 $8.41

5.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.20 $1.20

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.41 $4.41

-15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.32 $5.32

1.32%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.07 $5.07

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.40 $16.40

-15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.44 $15.44

-6.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.22 $19.22

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.82 $4.82

8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.61 $4.61

-11.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.23 $5.23

-4.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.94 $2.94

-9.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.08 $2.08

27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.11 $2.11

6.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.68 $2.68

16.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.52 $9.52

45.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.02 $15.02

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.78 $2.78

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.91 $3.91

-37.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$87.7 $87.7

-16.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.91 $3.91

-18.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.21 $1.21

14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.55%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.49%

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

$194 $194

$153 $153

27.28%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$48.89 $48.89

42.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$62.0 $62.0

-0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$26.12 $26.12

83.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$21.62 $21.62

26.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.45 $16.45

8.27%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,901 $1,901

-5.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-10.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.59 $46.59

43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.93 $36.93

41.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,884 $1,884

34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,393 $1,393

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,859 $3,859

22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,154 $2,154

25.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,239 $4,239

-1.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,104 $3,104

-10.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,138 $5,138

-4.04%

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 Silver Spring, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Silver Spring, MD

$1.4K 51.6% 11.7% $185

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Silver Spring, MD

$458 17% 2.4% $11

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Silver Spring, MD

$277 10.2% 19.8% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Silver Spring, MD

$264 9.8% 19% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Silver Spring, MD

$137 5.1% 16.2% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Silver Spring, MD

$113 4.2% 21.3% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Silver Spring, MD

$59 2.2% 29.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,884 in Silver Spring, MD. 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 4% higher in Silver Spring, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $89 in Silver Spring, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $458 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Silver Spring, MD

🕒 Local time

03:35 3:35 AM

04:35 4:35 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

71,452

💱 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 Silver Spring, MD 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Silver Spring, 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 Silver Spring, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD – Silver Spring, MD comes out roughly 11% 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 $4,051 in Silver Spring, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Silver Spring, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,884 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,901 in Silver Spring, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD. That makes Silver Spring, MD about 11% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD. 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 $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.