Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and State College, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in State College, PA: $2,426 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in State College, PA
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State College, PA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

State College, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in State College, PA

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 State College, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,426 in State College, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
State College, PA $2,426

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,582 in State College, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
State College, PA $3,582

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,737 in State College, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
State College, PA $4,737

Chicago, IL costs about 31% more than State College, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and State College, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, State College, PA by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$15.30 $15.30

34.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$67.1 $67.1

34.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.28 $9.28

39.44%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$3.46 $3.46

61.85%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.51 $2.51

5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.75 $1.75

29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.87 $6.87

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.51 $7.51

17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.12 $1.12

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.05 $3.05

24.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.04 $2.04

159.80%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.85 $3.85

23.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$9.85 $9.85

41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.19 $9.19

58.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.07 $18.07

3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.51 $3.51

47.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.50 $4.50

-12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.85 $3.85

28.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.74 $1.74

58.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.46 $2.46

12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.26 $2.26

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.54 $1.54

93.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.73 $11.73

19.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.38 $14.38

6.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.70 $1.70

51.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.72 $3.72

-5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.23 $2.23

10.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$85.9 $85.9

-12.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.98 $4.98

-32.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.08 $1.08

32.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$22.85 $22.85

6.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.08 $1.08

16.67%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

26.90%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.81%

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

$193 $193

$160 $160

20.53%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$40.38 $40.38

69.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$59.3 $59.3

3.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$24.65 $24.65

119.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.77 $16.77

5.78%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,034 $1,034

59.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$27.4K $27.4K

13.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$46.57 $46.57

41.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.71 $40.71

25.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$81.1 $81.1

23.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$132 $132

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,776 $1,776

37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,270 $1,270

32.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,825 $2,825

67.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,170 $2,170

28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,365 $2,365

73.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,083 $2,083

27.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,230 $4,230

15.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.46

5.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for State College, PA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

State College, PA

$1.3K 52.3% 24.3% $408

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

State College, PA

$340 14% 24.3% $109

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

State College, PA

$258 10.6% 24.8% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

State College, PA

$260 10.7% 19.5% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

State College, PA

$135 5.6% 16.1% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

State College, PA

$105 4.3% 10.5% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

State College, PA

$58 2.4% 35.1% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,776 in State College, PA. 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 16% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $67.0 in State College, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $340 – making State College, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 State College, PA

🕒 Local time

05:30 5:30 AM

06:30 6:30 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

40,501

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL State College, PA 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
State College, PA

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 State College, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,426 in State College, PA – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,639 in State College, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in State College, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $67.0 in State College, PA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $2,426 in State College, PA. 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 $2,426 in State College, PA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with State College, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.