Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cleveland, OH: $2,409 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

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

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

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Cleveland, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,409

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,409 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cleveland, OH $2,409
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,602 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cleveland, OH $3,602
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cleveland, OH $4,794
Chicago, IL $5,999

Cleveland, OH is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cleveland, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Cleveland, OH by 77%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$20.71 $20.71

-12.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 $62.3

$89.2 $89.2

-30.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 $11.05

$13.19 $13.19

-16.22%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$5.66 $5.66

-1.59%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.64 $2.64

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.28 $2.28

-13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

$6.87 $6.87

-11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$8.84 $8.84

-8.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.25 $1.25

-29.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.72 $3.72

-11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.39 $5.39

-18.00%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$4.74 $4.74

-6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$13.84 $13.84

-5.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.16 $12.16

$14.40 $14.40

-15.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.88 $19.88

$18.38 $18.38

8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.22 $5.22

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.06 $4.06

2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$4.97 $4.97

-22.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.67 $2.67

11.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.66 $2.66

19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.24 $2.24

-2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$3.13 $3.13

-32.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$13.82 $13.82

-26.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.88 $14.88

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.54 $2.54

-5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.51 $3.51

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.43 $2.43

5.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 $93.7

$73.5 $73.5

27.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.18 $3.18

-12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.39 $1.39

13.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.45 $25.45

$25.03 $25.03

1.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.20 $1.20

-10.83%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

3.03%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.15%

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

$221 $221

$194 $194

13.91%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$69.5 $69.5

-5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$61.6 $61.6

18.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.34 $33.34

$47.90 $47.90

-30.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.01 $2.01

$27.34 $27.34

-92.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 $13.50

$17.81 $17.81

-24.20%

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

$1,007 $1,007

$1,794 $1,794

-43.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K $18.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-42.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 $61.3

$67.0 $67.0

-8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.95 $38.95

$52.1 $52.1

-25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 $99.0

$102 $102

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$144 $144

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$2,526 $2,526

-35.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 $1,015

$1,578 $1,578

-35.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 $3,068

$4,738 $4,738

-35.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 $1,825

$2,693 $2,693

-32.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,969 $1,969

$4,190 $4,190

-53.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,439 $1,439

$2,768 $2,768

-48.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,644 $3,644

$4,931 $4,931

-26.10%

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 Cleveland, OH: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cleveland, OH

$1K 42.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 55.5% $563

Groceries & Markets

Cleveland, OH

$406 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.1% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cleveland, OH

$360 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.6% $34

Eating Out

Cleveland, OH

$310 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.3% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Cleveland, OH

$143 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 14.7% $21

Getting Around

Cleveland, OH

$115 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 18.5% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Cleveland, OH

$60 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 38.4% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Cleveland, 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 35% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Cleveland, OH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $447 – making Cleveland, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cleveland, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

15:21 3:21 PM

1 h behind Cleveland, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

367,991

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cleveland, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,409 in Cleveland, OH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Cleveland, OH comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,614 per month in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,637 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Cleveland, OH and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH. 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.