Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Westborough, MA: $2,573 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Westborough, MA
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Westborough, MA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Westborough, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,573

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,573 in Westborough, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Westborough, MA $2,573

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,675 in Westborough, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Westborough, MA $3,675

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,776 in Westborough, MA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Westborough, MA $4,776

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Westborough, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Westborough, MA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Westborough, MA by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.27 $20.27

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.1 $76.1

17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.95 $12.95

1.85%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.31 $5.31

6.59%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.75 $2.75

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.57 $2.57

-11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.87 $5.87

17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.96 $8.96

-1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.35 $4.35

-14.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.33 $4.33

24.48%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.47 $6.47

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.61 $10.61

30.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.63 $10.63

35.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.21 $19.21

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.66 $5.66

-7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.34 $3.34

21.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.02 $3.02

64.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.21 $2.21

20.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.45 $2.45

8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.64 $2.64

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.96 $2.96

5.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.79 $13.79

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$17.01 $17.01

-12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.82 $1.82

39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.85 $2.85

23.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$56.3 $56.3

30.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.88 $5.88

-45.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.61 $1.61

-13.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.20 $32.20

-22.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.08 $1.08

11.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

28.92%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.68%

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

$194 $194

$180 $180

8.07%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$36.45 $36.45

90.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.4 $59.4

3.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.79 $35.79

33.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.55 $12.55

41.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,104 $2,104

-14.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.1K $24.1K

32.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$38.49 $38.49

74.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$16.18 $16.18

222.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$109 $109

32.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,468 $1,468

72.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,294 $1,294

21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,788 $2,788

69.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,922 $1,922

40.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,591 $2,591

61.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,687 $2,687

3.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Westborough, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Westborough, MA

$1.3K 50.3% 18% $284

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Westborough, MA

$412 16% 7.8% $35

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Westborough, MA

$333 13% 3.4% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Westborough, MA

$276 10.7% 15.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Westborough, MA

$119 4.6% 27.6% $45

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Westborough, MA

$78 3% 16.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Westborough, MA

$61 2.4% 27.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,468 in Westborough, 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 $76 in Westborough, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $412 – making Westborough, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Westborough, MA

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

12:07 12:07 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

18,634

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Westborough, MA 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,573 in Westborough, MA – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,860 in Westborough, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Westborough, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,468 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $76 in Westborough, 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 Westborough, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,573, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Westborough, MA 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 $2,573 in Westborough, MA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Westborough, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 18% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.