Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Springfield, VA: $2,924 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, VA
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Springfield, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Springfield, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,924 in Springfield, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Springfield, VA $2,924

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,643 in Springfield, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Springfield, VA $4,643

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,361 in Springfield, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Springfield, VA $6,361

Chicago, IL costs about 4% more than Springfield, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Springfield, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Springfield, VA by 115%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.10 $18.10

14.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$94.5 $94.5

-5.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.79 $10.79

22.24%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.25 $5.25

7.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.14 $3.14

-15.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.63 $2.63

-13.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.21 $7.21

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.05 $8.05

9.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.16 $1.16

7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.98 $3.98

-6.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.20 $4.20

28.33%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.88 $4.88

-2.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.86 $12.86

7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.91 $12.91

11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.22 $18.22

0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.93 $5.93

-11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 $1.51

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.00 $5.00

-18.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.01 $5.01

-0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.74 $2.74

-2.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.91 $2.91

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.37 $2.37

-5.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.35 $2.35

33.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.50 $13.50

2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.72 $15.72

-5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.53 $2.53

0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.98 $3.98

-11.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.85 $1.85

71.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.38 $1.38

0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.28 $24.28

3.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.08 $1.08

11.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.3K $34.3K

2.14%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.07%

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

$194 $194

$215 $215

-9.66%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$74.7 $74.7

-7.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.8 $76.8

-19.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$18.23 $18.23

162.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.61 $14.61

21.90%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,958 $1,958

-8.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$34.8K $34.8K

-8.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.1 $54.1

24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.96 $43.96

18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.5 $91.5

10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$113 $113

27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,565 $1,565

61.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,617 $1,617

-2.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,773 $2,773

70.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,410 $3,410

-21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,040 $7,040

-29.96%

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 Springfield, VA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Springfield, VA

$1.6K 55.3% 2.5% $39

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Springfield, VA

$433 14.8% 3.2% $14

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Springfield, VA

$315 10.8% 8.6% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Springfield, VA

$367 12.5% 12.7% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Springfield, VA

$136 4.7% 17.1% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Springfield, VA

$8.8 * 0.3% 90.6% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Springfield, VA

$47 1.6% 43.2% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,565 in Springfield, VA. 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 43% higher in Springfield, VA, 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 $95 in Springfield, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $433 in Springfield, VA – so Springfield, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Springfield, VA

🕒 Local time

17:13 5:13 PM

18:13 6:13 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

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Springfield, VA 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Springfield, VA

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, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,924 in Springfield, VA – Springfield, VA comes out roughly 4% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,387 in Springfield, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Springfield, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,565 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $95 in Springfield, VA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,924 in Springfield, VA. 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 $2,924 in Springfield, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.