Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Waldorf, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Waldorf, MD: $2,887 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 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
139

Cost of Living Index in Waldorf, MD
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Waldorf, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Waldorf, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,887

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,887 in Waldorf, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Waldorf, MD $2,887

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,125 in Waldorf, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Waldorf, MD $4,125

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,363 in Waldorf, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Waldorf, MD $5,363

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Waldorf, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Waldorf, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Waldorf, MD by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.75 $13.75

50.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$73.7 $73.7

21.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.69 $7.69

71.52%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.89 $4.89

15.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.03 $2.03

30.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.83 $1.83

24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.42 $3.42

100.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.09 $5.09

73.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.71 $0.71

76.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.47 $3.47

7.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.73 $6.73

-19.91%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.73 $2.73

73.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.22 $16.22

-14.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.90 $8.90

61.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.15 $19.15

-4.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.57 $4.57

14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.40 $6.40

-36.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.30 $5.30

-6.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.95 $2.95

-9.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.00 $2.00

33.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.08 $2.08

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.91 $1.91

63.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.43 $9.43

46.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.24 $15.24

-2.36%

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

$3.69 $3.69

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.51 $2.51

-3.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$35.53 $35.53

106.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.48 $3.48

-8.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.51%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-1.17%

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

$194 $194

$269 $269

-27.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$48.60 $48.60

42.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$67.2 $67.2

-8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.72 $40.72

17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.20 $17.20

3.55%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,220 $2,220

-19.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$59.6K $59.6K

-46.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.08 $47.08

42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.24 $36.24

43.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$110 $110

-8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,788 $1,788

41.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,596 $1,596

-1.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,887 $1,887

151.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,595 $2,595

3.76%

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

$4,153 $4,153

18.72%

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 Waldorf, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Waldorf, MD

$1.6K 55.3% 1.1% $18

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Waldorf, MD

$406 14.1% 9.4% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Waldorf, MD

$234 8.1% 32% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Waldorf, MD

$385 13.3% 18.3% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Waldorf, MD

$142 4.9% 13.6% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Waldorf, MD

$49 * 1.7% 47.5% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Waldorf, MD

$75 2.6% 10.1% $8.4

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 $1,788 in Waldorf, 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 19% 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 $74 in Waldorf, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $406 – making Waldorf, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waldorf, MD

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

14:49 2:49 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

67,752

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,887 in Waldorf, MD – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,330 in Waldorf, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waldorf, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,788 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Waldorf, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,887 in Waldorf, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Waldorf, MD. 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.