Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Springfield, MA

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Springfield, MA: $3,037 and $3,093 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, MA
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Springfield, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Springfield, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,093

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Springfield, MA

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 Springfield, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,093 in Springfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Springfield, MA $3,093

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,347 in Springfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Springfield, MA $4,347

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,600 in Springfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Springfield, MA $5,600

Chicago, IL and Springfield, MA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Springfield, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Springfield, MA by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.85 $22.85

-9.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$83.3 $83.3

7.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.28 $14.28

-7.63%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.44 $6.44

-12.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.71 $2.71

-2.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.05 $2.05

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.18 $6.18

11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.22 $9.22

-4.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.71 $2.71

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.26 $2.26

138.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.53 $3.53

34.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.57 $16.57

-16.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.78 $10.78

33.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.55 $18.55

-0.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.87 $4.87

7.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.38 $1.38

43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.58 $5.58

-27.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.61 $4.61

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.15 $3.15

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.69 $3.69

-27.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.98 $1.98

58.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.77 $13.77

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.23 $14.23

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.84 $3.84

-8.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$54.2 $54.2

35.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.06 $5.06

-37.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.40 $1.40

-0.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.86 $29.86

-16.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.4K $27.4K

27.84%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.81%

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

$194 $194

$210 $210

-7.32%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$69.0 $69.0

0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.1 $73.1

-15.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$28.21 $28.21

69.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$18.78 $18.78

45.58%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.82 $14.82

20.18%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,516 $1,516

18.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.2K $17.2K

85.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.6 $50.6

32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.37 $39.37

32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$114 $114

-10.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$109 $109

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,799 $1,799

40.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,705 $1,705

-7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,427 $2,427

95.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,501 $2,501

7.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,499 $2,499

67.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,570 $2,570

7.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,892 $3,892

26.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.28

8.44%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Springfield, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Springfield, MA

$1.7K 55.1% 8.1% $127

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Springfield, MA

$392 12.7% 12.3% $55

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Springfield, MA

$371 12% 7.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Springfield, MA

$352 11.4% 8.1% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Springfield, MA

$141 4.6% 14.2% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Springfield, MA

$74 2.4% 20.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Springfield, MA

$58 1.9% 30.7% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,799 in Springfield, MA. 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 27% 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 $83 in Springfield, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $392 – making Springfield, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Springfield, MA

🕒 Local time

19:23 7:23 PM

20:23 8:23 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

116,482

💱 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 Springfield, MA 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Springfield, MA

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 Springfield, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,640 in Springfield, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Springfield, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,799 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $83 in Springfield, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Springfield, MA. 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 $3,093 in Springfield, MA. 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 $3,093 in Springfield, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.