Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,468 in Dover, NH, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Dover, NH
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Dover, NH Living Index
152

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

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Dover, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$3,468

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,468 per month in Dover, NH vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dover, NH $3,468
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,162 per month in Dover, NH vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dover, NH $5,162
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,856 per month in Dover, NH vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dover, NH $6,856
Chicago, IL $6,115

Dover, NH costs about 10% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Dover, NH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dover, NH by 156%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 $18.19

$20.65 $20.65

-11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 $96.6

$90.2 $90.2

7.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.83 $12.83

$12.94 $12.94

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.60 $5.60

-0.18%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.27 $2.27

-34.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.98 $6.98

-28.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$8.83 $8.83

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.27 $1.27

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.80 $3.80

4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$5.30 $5.30

-1.13%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$4.76 $4.76

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$13.96 $13.96

-20.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$14.61 $14.61

-2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.71 $17.71

$18.77 $18.77

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$5.19 $5.19

27.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.98 $1.98

-13.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$3.93 $3.93

72.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$4.96 $4.96

12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.76 $2.76

144.20%

Onion (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$2.76 $2.76

111.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.22 $2.22

31.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.98 $2.98

30.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.02 $14.02

-1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 $13.75

$15.28 $15.28

-10.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.50 $3.50

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.47 $2.47

-29.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.9 $78.9

$74.8 $74.8

5.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.26 $1.26

-34.92%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.33%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.91%

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

$318 $318

$193 $193

64.88%

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

$100 $100

$68.3 $68.3

47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$138 $138

$61.3 $61.3

125.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.9 $71.9

$54.1 $54.1

32.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.25 $30.25

$27.92 $27.92

8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$17.74 $17.74

-31.45%

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

$1,860 $1,860

$1,652 $1,652

12.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K $19.7K

$31.1K $31.1K

-36.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$66.1 $66.1

-15.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 $38.59

$51.2 $51.2

-24.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$100 $100

-19.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$141 $141

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 $2,084

$2,446 $2,446

-14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 $1,813

$1,678 $1,678

8.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,931 $3,931

$4,717 $4,717

-16.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,309 $3,309

$2,795 $2,795

18.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,732 $3,732

$4,866 $4,866

-23.30%

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 Dover, NH: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dover, NH

$1.8K 52.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 7.5% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dover, NH

$557 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 42.1% $234

Groceries & Markets

Dover, NH

$484 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 7.1% $34

Eating Out

Dover, NH

$308 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 11.5% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Dover, NH

$124 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29.8% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Dover, NH

$96 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 6.8% $6.6

Getting Around

Dover, NH

$86 * 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 10.8% $9.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,084 in Dover, NH versus $2,446 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 30% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $97.0 in Dover, NH versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $484 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dover, NH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:49 6:49 AM

05:49 5:49 AM

1 h behind Dover, NH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,735

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dover, NH Chicago, IL 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,468 in Dover, NH, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,202 per month in Dover, NH and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Dover, NH, 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 $97.0 in Dover, NH and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,468 in Dover, NH and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,468 in Dover, NH. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dover, NH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.