Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover, DE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Dover, DE: $2,593 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Dover, DE
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Dover, DE Living Index
147

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

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Dover, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,593

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,593 per month in Dover, DE vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dover, DE $2,593
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,781 per month in Dover, DE vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dover, DE $3,781
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,970 per month in Dover, DE vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dover, DE $4,970
Chicago, IL $5,999

Dover, DE is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dover, DE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dover, DE by 91%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$20.71 $20.71

-36.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 $59.9

$89.2 $89.2

-32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 $10.58

$13.19 $13.19

-19.79%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.66 $5.66

-12.90%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.64 $2.64

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.28 $2.28

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.87 $6.87

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.84 $8.84

-8.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.25 $1.25

-23.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.72 $3.72

-24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.39 $5.39

-50.65%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.74 $4.74

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.84 $13.84

-11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$14.40 $14.40

0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$18.38 $18.38

2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.22 $5.22

-5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.98 $1.98

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$4.06 $4.06

52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.97 $4.97

4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.67 $2.67

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.66 $2.66

-24.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.24 $2.24

-22.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.13 $3.13

-19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 $8.59

$13.82 $13.82

-37.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$14.88 $14.88

-0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.54 $2.54

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.51 $3.51

42.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 $1.20

-18.33%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.36%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.54%

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

$219 $219

$194 $194

12.49%

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

$49.94 $49.94

$69.5 $69.5

-28.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$61.6 $61.6

15.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$47.90 $47.90

151.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.07 $17.07

$17.81 $17.81

-4.15%

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

$687 $687

$1,794 $1,794

-61.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.92 $47.92

$67.0 $67.0

-28.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 $35.92

$52.1 $52.1

-31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$102 $102

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 $201

$144 $144

39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 $1,692

$2,526 $2,526

-33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$1,578 $1,578

-20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$4,738 $4,738

-50.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$2,693 $2,693

-21.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,146 $2,146

$4,190 $4,190

-48.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,180 $2,180

$2,768 $2,768

-21.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,760 $5,760

$4,931 $4,931

16.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Dover, DE: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dover, DE

$1.3K 48.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 26.1% $327

Groceries & Markets

Dover, DE

$415 16%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 7.8% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dover, DE

$340 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4.2% $14

Eating Out

Dover, DE

$255 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 35.1% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Dover, DE

$177 6.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 7.5% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Dover, DE

$155 6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 46% $71

Getting Around

Dover, DE

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,692 in Dover, DE 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 17% higher in Dover, DE, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Dover, DE versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $447 – making Dover, DE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dover, DE

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:18 3:18 PM

14:18 2:18 PM

1 h behind Dover, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,735

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dover, DE Chicago, IL 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dover, DE
Chicago, IL

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

Dover, DE vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,593 in Dover, DE, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Dover, DE comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,890 per month in Dover, DE 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 Dover, DE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,692 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Dover, DE and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,593 in Dover, DE and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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