Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Upper Marlboro, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Upper Marlboro, MD: $2,636 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Upper Marlboro, MD
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Upper Marlboro, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Upper Marlboro, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,636

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,636 in Upper Marlboro, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Upper Marlboro, MD $2,636

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,086 in Upper Marlboro, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Upper Marlboro, MD $4,086

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,535 in Upper Marlboro, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Upper Marlboro, MD $5,535

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Upper Marlboro, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Upper Marlboro, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Upper Marlboro, MD by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.87 $22.87

-9.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$91.6 $91.6

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.18 $10.18

29.57%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.25 $6.25

-9.44%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.79 $2.79

-5.38%

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

$9.95 $9.95

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.86 $9.86

-10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.29 $1.29

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.51 $4.51

-17.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.15 $7.15

-24.62%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.78 $5.78

-17.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.40 $16.40

-15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.24 $16.24

-11.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.67 $18.67

-1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.07 $5.07

2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.14 $5.14

-21.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.21 $5.21

-4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.94 $2.94

-9.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.01 $2.01

32.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.07 $2.07

8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.80 $2.80

11.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.34 $13.34

3.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.75 $14.75

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.07 $5.07

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$64.5 $64.5

14.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.06 $4.06

-21.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.62 $1.62

-14.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.88 $24.88

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.14 $1.14

5.26%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

26.11%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.67%

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

$194 $194

$158 $158

22.76%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$82.7 $82.7

-15.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.7 $76.7

-19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.18 $41.18

16.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.03 $17.03

4.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,241 $2,241

-19.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$41.3K $41.3K

-22.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.02 $47.02

42.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.91 $35.91

45.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$105 $105

-3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$119 $119

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,413 $1,413

78.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,160 $1,160

36.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,465 $2,465

92.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,180 $2,180

23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,741 $2,741

52.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,336 $2,336

18.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,979 $7,979

-38.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Upper Marlboro, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$1.2K 44% 26.5% $418

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$481 18.2% 7.5% $34

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$380 14.4% 10.1% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$318 12.1% 2.4% $7.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$138 5.2% 15.8% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$85 3.2% 9.5% $8.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Upper Marlboro, MD

$75 2.9% 9.9% $8.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,413 in Upper Marlboro, 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 62% higher in Upper Marlboro, 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 $92 in Upper Marlboro, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $481 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Upper Marlboro, MD

🕒 Local time

20:03 8:03 PM

21:03 9:03 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

700

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Upper Marlboro, MD 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Upper Marlboro, 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 Upper Marlboro, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,636 in Upper Marlboro, MD – Upper Marlboro, MD comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,955 in Upper Marlboro, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upper Marlboro, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,413 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $92 in Upper Marlboro, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,636 in Upper Marlboro, 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 $2,636 in Upper Marlboro, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.