Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and South Portland, ME

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in South Portland, ME: $3,037 and $3,045 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
148

Cost of Living Index in South Portland, ME
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South Portland, ME Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,045

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in South Portland, ME

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 South Portland, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,045 in South Portland, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
South Portland, ME $3,045

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,568 in South Portland, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
South Portland, ME $4,568

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,091 in South Portland, ME, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
South Portland, ME $6,091

Chicago, IL and South Portland, ME have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and South Portland, ME sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, South Portland, ME by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.94 $24.94

-16.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$118 $118

-24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.71 $14.71

-10.33%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.35 $5.35

5.79%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.09 $3.09

-14.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.37 $2.37

-3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.81 $7.81

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.95 $7.95

11.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.38 $4.38

-15.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.96 $6.96

-22.56%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.03 $4.03

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.36 $15.36

-9.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.35 $10.35

39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.97 $15.97

15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.52 $5.52

-26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$7.61 $7.61

-34.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.38 $4.38

-39.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.78 $3.78

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.93 $2.93

-23.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.59 $2.59

20.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.31 $12.31

12.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.08 $15.08

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.90 $1.90

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.60 $2.60

35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.91 $1.91

27.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$51.3 $51.3

43.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.05 $2.05

55.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 $1.58

-12.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$10.94 $10.94

128.79%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

27.46%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.19%

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

$194 $194

$239 $239

-18.59%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.3 $68.3

1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$78.6 $78.6

-21.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.18 $40.18

19.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$29.61 $29.61

-7.67%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.95 $14.95

19.13%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$401 $401

347.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$15.1K $15.1K

111.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$51.9 $51.9

29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$51.2 $51.2

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 $103

-1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$131 $131

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,972 $1,972

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,537 $1,537

2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,166 $3,166

49.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,605 $2,605

3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,784 $2,784

50.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,332 $2,332

18.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,169 $4,169

18.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.65

2.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for South Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

South Portland, ME

$1.5K 50.5% 2.6% $41

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

South Portland, ME

$446 14.7% 0.2% $1

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

South Portland, ME

$385 12.6% 11.5% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

South Portland, ME

$386 12.7% 18.5% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

South Portland, ME

$152 5% 7.4% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

South Portland, ME

$69 2.3% 26.2% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

South Portland, ME

$70 2.3% 16.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,972 in South Portland, ME. 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 18% 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 $118 in South Portland, ME. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $446 in South Portland, ME – so South Portland, ME wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 South Portland, ME

🕒 Local time

09:11 9:11 AM

10:11 10:11 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

26,498

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL South Portland, ME 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
South Portland, ME

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 South Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,567 in South Portland, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in South Portland, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,972 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $401 in South Portland, ME. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 30% less in South Portland, ME. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,045 in South Portland, ME. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,045 in South Portland, ME. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.