Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Wallingford, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Wallingford, CT: $1,247 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Wallingford, CT
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Wallingford, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Wallingford, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$1,247

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Wallingford, CT

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,247 in Wallingford, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Wallingford, CT $1,247

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,001 in Wallingford, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Wallingford, CT $2,001

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,756 in Wallingford, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Wallingford, CT $2,756

Chicago, IL costs about 146% more than Wallingford, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Chicago, IL sits 127% above the global median, while Wallingford, CT is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.74 $19.74

3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$74.2 $74.2

19.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.91 $12.91

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.25 $5.25

10.10%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.91 $2.91

-5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.51 $2.51

-9.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.17 $6.17

11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.41 $8.41

9.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.45 $4.45

-20.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.55 $7.55

-28.74%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$6.08 $6.08

-25.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.48 $10.48

30.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.85 $10.85

29.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.26 $19.26

-6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.66 $5.66

-8.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.20 $2.20

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.40 $3.40

14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.03 $3.03

59.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.24 $2.24

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.46 $2.46

8.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.75 $2.75

-24.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.57 $2.57

17.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.55 $13.55

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.92 $16.92

-11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.83 $1.83

43.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.75 $2.75

25.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.98 $2.98

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.21 $2.21

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$42.30 $42.30

-41.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.17 $1.17

9.40%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.3K $28.3K

26.60%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.48%

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

$192 $192

$198 $198

-2.83%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$36.59 $36.59

90.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$61.6 $61.6

0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$25.14 $25.14

90.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.59 $12.59

41.62%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,143 $2,143

-15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$33.8K $33.8K

20.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$39.00 $39.00

69.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$16.20 $16.20

217.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$99.7 $99.7

3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$140 $140

2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,602 $1,602

58.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,655 $4,655

5.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.51

4.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Wallingford, CT: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Wallingford, CT

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Wallingford, CT

$425 34.1% 3.2% $14

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Wallingford, CT

$329 26.4% 4.4% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Wallingford, CT

$296 23.7% 8.6% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Wallingford, CT

$133 10.6% 19% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Wallingford, CT

$14 * 1.1% 85.5% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Wallingford, CT

$50 4% 39.7% $33

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,602 in Wallingford, CT. 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 6% 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 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Wallingford, CT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $425 – making Wallingford, CT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Wallingford, CT

🕒 Local time

21:04 9:04 PM

22:04 10:04 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

44,740

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Wallingford, CT 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Wallingford, CT

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 Wallingford, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $1,247 in Wallingford, CT – Wallingford, CT comes out roughly 59% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,870 in Wallingford, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wallingford, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,602 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Wallingford, CT. 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wallingford, CT, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Wallingford, CT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,247 in Wallingford, CT to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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