Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Waltham, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,278 in Waltham, MA, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
205

Cost of Living Index in Waltham, MA
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Waltham, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Waltham, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Waltham, MA

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,278 in Waltham, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Waltham, MA $4,278

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,563 in Waltham, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Waltham, MA $6,563

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,848 in Waltham, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Waltham, MA $8,848

Chicago, IL is about 29% cheaper than Waltham, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Waltham, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Waltham, MA by 214%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.85 $24.85

-16.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$96.5 $96.5

-7.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.02 $12.02

9.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.17 $5.17

9.48%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.95 $2.95

-10.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.20 $2.20

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.04 $5.04

36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.06 $8.06

9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.92 $3.92

-5.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.37 $5.37

0.37%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.89 $4.89

-3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.07 $11.07

25.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.16 $14.16

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.36 $17.36

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.66 $6.66

-21.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.48 $5.48

-25.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.65 $5.65

-12.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.52 $4.52

-40.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.02 $4.02

-33.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.98 $2.98

-24.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.94 $2.94

6.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.30 $13.30

3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.60 $13.60

9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.11 $2.11

20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.12 $4.12

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.8 $58.8

25.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.66 $2.66

19.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.72 $1.72

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$28.47 $28.47

-12.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.05 $1.05

14.29%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.0K $27.0K

29.80%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.17%

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

$194 $194

$324 $324

-39.92%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.6 $54.6

27.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$86.2 $86.2

-28.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$252 $252

-81.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.65 $14.65

21.57%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,806 $1,806

-0.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$30.3K $30.3K

5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.9 $56.9

17.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.57 $37.57

38.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.3 $81.3

24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$98.8 $98.8

45.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,497 $2,497

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,525 $2,525

-37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$5,433 $5,433

-12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$5,088 $5,088

-47.07%

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

$5,449 $5,449

-9.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Waltham, MA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Waltham, MA

$2.5K 59% 60% $947

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Waltham, MA

$455 10.6% 1.8% $7.9

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Waltham, MA

$359 8.4% 4% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Waltham, MA

$464 10.9% 42.7% $139

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Waltham, MA

$124 2.9% 24.7% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Waltham, MA

$70 * 1.6% 25% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Waltham, MA

$281 6.6% 237% $198

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 $2,497 in Waltham, MA. 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 11% higher in Waltham, MA, 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 $96 in Waltham, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $455 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waltham, MA

🕒 Local time

07:55 7:55 AM

08:55 8:55 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

60,636

💱 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 Waltham, MA 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Waltham, MA

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 Waltham, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $4,278 in Waltham, MA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $6,418 in Waltham, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,497 in Waltham, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $96 in Waltham, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Waltham, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $4,278 in Waltham, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $4,278 in Waltham, MA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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