Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Cincinnati, OH: $2,284 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index
147

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

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Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,284

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cincinnati, OH and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cincinnati, OH and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,284 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $2,284
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,409 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $3,409
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,534 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $4,534
Chicago, IL $5,999

Cincinnati, OH is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cincinnati, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Cincinnati, OH by 68%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.04 $15.04

$20.71 $20.71

-27.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 $50.3

$89.2 $89.2

-43.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$13.19 $13.19

-23.96%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$5.66 $5.66

-10.42%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.64 $2.64

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.28 $2.28

-26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.87 $6.87

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 $7.60

$8.84 $8.84

-14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.25 $1.25

-29.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.72 $3.72

-12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$5.39 $5.39

-23.19%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$4.74 $4.74

-13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 $13.06

$13.84 $13.84

-5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$14.40 $14.40

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$18.38 $18.38

-11.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$5.22 $5.22

9.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.06 $4.06

7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.97 $4.97

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.67 $2.67

-4.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.66 $2.66

18.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.24 $2.24

-9.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$3.13 $3.13

-38.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.75 $9.75

$13.82 $13.82

-29.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$14.88 $14.88

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.54 $2.54

-18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.51 $3.51

-15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.43 $2.43

11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$73.5 $73.5

45.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.18 $3.18

20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.56 $24.56

$25.03 $25.03

-1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

2.36%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.48%

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

$151 $151

$194 $194

-22.10%

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

$76.8 $76.8

$69.5 $69.5

10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$61.6 $61.6

16.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.11 $34.11

$47.90 $47.90

-28.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.79 $13.79

$27.34 $27.34

-49.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$17.81 $17.81

-14.15%

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

$1,341 $1,341

$1,794 $1,794

-25.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-40.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.25 $45.25

$67.0 $67.0

-32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.81 $44.81

$52.1 $52.1

-14.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 $83.2

$102 $102

-18.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$144 $144

-23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$2,526 $2,526

-40.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 $1,005

$1,578 $1,578

-36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,024 $3,024

$4,738 $4,738

-36.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$2,693 $2,693

-33.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,610 $3,610

$4,190 $4,190

-13.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,016 $2,016

$2,768 $2,768

-27.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,191 $4,191

$4,931 $4,931

-15.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cincinnati, OH

$1K 44%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 56.9% $573

Groceries & Markets

Cincinnati, OH

$389 17%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 15.1% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cincinnati, OH

$300 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.6% $26

Eating Out

Cincinnati, OH

$270 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 27.6% $75

Getting Around

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 27% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Cincinnati, OH

$127 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 28.8% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Cincinnati, OH

$65 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 29.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,505 in Cincinnati, OH versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 18% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $50 in Cincinnati, OH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $447 – making Cincinnati, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:22 12:22 PM

11:22 11:22 AM

1 h behind Cincinnati, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

298,800

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cincinnati, OH Chicago, IL 410 km

From you

Cincinnati, OH
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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

Cincinnati, OH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,426 per month in Cincinnati, OH and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cincinnati, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,505 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $50 in Cincinnati, OH and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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 Cincinnati, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,284, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Cincinnati, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cincinnati, OH – 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 Cincinnati, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.