Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and West Hartford, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,468 in West Hartford, CT, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 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
166

Cost of Living Index in West Hartford, CT
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West Hartford, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

West Hartford, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,468

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,468 in West Hartford, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
West Hartford, CT $3,468

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,084 in West Hartford, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
West Hartford, CT $5,084

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,701 in West Hartford, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
West Hartford, CT $6,701

Chicago, IL is about 12% cheaper than West Hartford, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and West Hartford, CT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, West Hartford, CT by 155%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$27.97 $27.97

-25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$99.7 $99.7

-10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.17 $13.17

0.15%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.28 $5.28

7.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.60 $2.60

1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.06 $2.06

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.83 $6.83

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$10.36 $10.36

-14.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.50 $1.50

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.75 $3.75

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.13 $7.13

-24.40%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.36 $5.36

-11.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.03 $18.03

-23.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.15 $16.15

-10.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.47 $17.47

5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.94 $4.94

5.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.82 $1.82

8.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.37 $5.37

-24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.61 $4.61

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.20 $3.20

-16.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.70 $3.70

-28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.23 $2.23

0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.07 $2.07

51.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.55 $13.55

1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.19 $16.19

-8.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.07 $2.07

22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.83 $3.83

-8.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.79 $1.79

35.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.2 $61.2

20.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.11 $5.11

-37.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.89 $0.89

56.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.02 $30.02

-16.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.10 $1.10

9.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.36%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.42%

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

$194 $194

$209 $209

-6.76%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$69.8 $69.8

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$88.9 $88.9

-30.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$27.94 $27.94

71.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$17.64 $17.64

54.99%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.13 $15.13

17.71%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,523 $1,523

17.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$28.5K $28.5K

12.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.1 $54.1

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.14 $39.14

33.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$106 $106

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,356 $2,356

7.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,959 $1,959

-19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,963 $3,963

19.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,270 $3,270

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,603 $2,603

60.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,562 $2,562

8.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,076 $6,076

-18.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for West Hartford, CT: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

West Hartford, CT

$2K 56.5% 24.1% $381

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

West Hartford, CT

$471 13.6% 5.3% $24

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

West Hartford, CT

$400 11.5% 16% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

West Hartford, CT

$367 10.6% 12.8% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

West Hartford, CT

$135 3.9% 17.8% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

West Hartford, CT

$78 2.2% 16.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

West Hartford, CT

$58 1.7% 30.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,356 in West Hartford, 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 23% higher in West Hartford, CT. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in West Hartford, CT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $471 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 West Hartford, CT

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

20:16 8:16 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

64,083

💱 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 West Hartford, CT 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
West Hartford, 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 West Hartford, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,468 in West Hartford, CT – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 12% cheaper. 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 $5,202 in West Hartford, CT. 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 $2,356 in West Hartford, CT. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 5% more in West Hartford, CT, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $100 in West Hartford, CT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,468 in West Hartford, CT. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,468 in West Hartford, CT. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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