Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Whitefield, NH

For one person, living is cheaper in Whitefield, NH: $2,642 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 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 Whitefield, NH
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Whitefield, NH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Whitefield, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,642

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Whitefield, NH

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 Whitefield, NH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,642 in Whitefield, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Whitefield, NH $2,642

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,940 in Whitefield, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Whitefield, NH $3,940

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,237 in Whitefield, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Whitefield, NH $5,237

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Whitefield, NH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Whitefield, NH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Whitefield, NH by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.69 $24.69

-16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$121 $121

-25.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$15.24 $15.24

-13.45%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.38 $6.38

-11.29%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.13 $3.13

-15.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.46 $2.46

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.97 $7.97

-13.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.23 $8.23

7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.40 $3.40

9.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.44 $5.44

-0.92%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.40 $2.40

97.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.43 $13.43

3.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.07 $10.07

43.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.71 $15.71

17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.70 $4.70

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.45 $4.45

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.68 $6.68

-25.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.38 $3.38

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.26 $3.26

-18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.53 $2.53

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.46 $1.46

114.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.02 $9.02

53.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.06 $15.06

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.93 $1.93

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.05 $2.05

71.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.07 $2.07

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$57.9 $57.9

26.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.97 $1.97

61.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.53 $1.53

-9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$10.92 $10.92

129.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.32%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.07%

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

$194 $194

$207 $207

-6.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.39 $39.39

76.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.8 $59.8

3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$43.86 $43.86

9.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.18 $11.18

59.30%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,247 $1,247

43.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.1K $21.1K

51.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$25.42 $25.42

163.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$24.33 $24.33

114.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.9 $98.9

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$98.7 $98.7

45.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,557 $1,557

62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,297 $1,297

21.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,532 $2,532

87.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,066 $2,066

30.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,568 $2,568

63.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,007 $2,007

37.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,294 $2,294

114.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.5

4.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Whitefield, NH: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Whitefield, NH

$1.3K 49.1% 17.8% $281

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Whitefield, NH

$387 14.6% 13.5% $60

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Whitefield, NH

$398 15.1% 15.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Whitefield, NH

$307 11.6% 5.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Whitefield, NH

$111 4.2% 32.1% $53

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Whitefield, NH

$76 2.9% 18.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Whitefield, NH

$66 2.5% 20.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,557 in Whitefield, NH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $121 in Whitefield, NH. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $387 in Whitefield, NH – so Whitefield, NH wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Whitefield, NH

🕒 Local time

10:02 10:02 AM

11:02 11:02 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

1,100

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Whitefield, NH 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Whitefield, NH

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 Whitefield, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,642 in Whitefield, NH – Whitefield, NH comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,963 in Whitefield, NH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Whitefield, NH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,557 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $121 in Whitefield, NH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,642 in Whitefield, NH. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Whitefield, NH. 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.