Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and West Springfield, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in West Springfield, MA: $2,608 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 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
126

Cost of Living Index in West Springfield, MA
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West Springfield, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

West Springfield, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,608 in West Springfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
West Springfield, MA $2,608

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,854 in West Springfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
West Springfield, MA $3,854

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,099 in West Springfield, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
West Springfield, MA $5,099

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than West Springfield, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and West Springfield, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, West Springfield, MA by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.75 $20.75

-0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$77.6 $77.6

14.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.21 $13.21

-0.15%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.15 $5.15

9.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.65 $2.65

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.05 $2.05

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.58 $5.58

23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.29 $8.29

6.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.66 $3.66

1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.37 $4.37

23.34%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.22 $4.22

12.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.67 $12.67

9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.67 $11.67

23.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.35 $17.35

5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.09 $5.09

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.22 $4.22

-3.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.76 $4.76

4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.73 $2.73

-2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.95 $2.95

-9.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.10 $2.10

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.31 $2.31

35.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.84 $9.84

40.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.75 $14.75

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.18 $2.18

16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.73 $3.73

-5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.06 $2.06

17.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.3 $60.3

21.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.48 $3.48

-8.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.82 $1.82

-23.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$31.50 $31.50

-20.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

25.29%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.69%

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

$194 $194

$199 $199

-2.25%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.5 $58.5

18.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.4 $70.4

-12.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.08 $40.08

19.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.12 $14.12

26.13%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,567 $1,567

14.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.7K $23.7K

34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.7 $52.7

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.53 $40.53

28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.8 $89.8

13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$114 $114

25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,543 $1,543

63.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,263 $1,263

24.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,528 $2,528

87.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,131 $2,131

26.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,780 $2,780

50.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,321 $2,321

19.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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 Springfield, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

West Springfield, MA

$1.3K 48.4% 20% $315

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

West Springfield, MA

$404 15.5% 9.8% $44

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

West Springfield, MA

$331 12.7% 4.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

West Springfield, MA

$328 12.6% 0.7% $2.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

West Springfield, MA

$134 5.1% 18.4% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

West Springfield, MA

$81 3.1% 13.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

West Springfield, MA

$68 2.6% 18.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,543 in West Springfield, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $78 in West Springfield, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $404 – making West Springfield, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 West Springfield, MA

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

14:49 2:49 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

28,391

💱 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 Springfield, MA 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
West Springfield, 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 West Springfield, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,608 in West Springfield, MA – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,912 in West Springfield, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in West Springfield, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,543 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $78 in West Springfield, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in West Springfield, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,608, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In West Springfield, MA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward West Springfield, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, West Springfield, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 16% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.