Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Downingtown, PA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Downingtown, PA and in Chicago, IL: $3,288 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

159

Cost of Living Index in Downingtown, PA
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Downingtown, PA Living Index
152

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

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Downingtown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,288

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,288 per month in Downingtown, PA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Downingtown, PA $3,288
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,453 per month in Downingtown, PA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Downingtown, PA $4,453
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,618 per month in Downingtown, PA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Downingtown, PA $5,618
Chicago, IL $6,115

Downingtown, PA costs about 5% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Downingtown, PA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Downingtown, PA by 143%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 $16.09

$20.65 $20.65

-22.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$90.2 $90.2

30.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 $12.97

$12.94 $12.94

0.23%

Cappuccino

$4.60 $4.60

$5.60 $5.60

-17.86%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$2.64 $2.64

-7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.27 $2.27

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$6.98 $6.98

-1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 $6.43

$8.83 $8.83

-27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.27 $1.27

-9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.80 $3.80

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$5.30 $5.30

-25.47%

Eggs

$2.01 $2.01

$4.76 $4.76

-57.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$13.96 $13.96

-6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 $6.59

$14.61 $14.61

-54.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 $11.22

$18.77 $18.77

-40.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$5.19 $5.19

21.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.98 $1.98

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.93 $3.93

3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.96 $4.96

-14.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.76 $2.76

-23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.76 $2.76

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.22 $2.22

33.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.98 $2.98

-30.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 $14.95

$14.02 $14.02

6.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.72 $17.72

$15.28 $15.28

15.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.58 $2.58

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.50 $3.50

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.47 $2.47

-21.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 $8.07

$3.34 $3.34

141.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.43 $1.43

106.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$24.32 $24.32

41.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-35.27%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-9.26%

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

$208 $208

$193 $193

7.85%

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

$38.93 $38.93

$68.3 $68.3

-42.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$61.3 $61.3

13.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 $68.8

$54.1 $54.1

27.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 $12.92

$17.74 $17.74

-27.17%

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

$3,232 $3,232

$1,652 $1,652

95.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$66.2K $66.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

112.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 $49.88

$66.1 $66.1

-24.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 $49.62

$51.2 $51.2

-3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$141 $141

-15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 $2,140

$2,446 $2,446

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 $2,059

$1,678 $1,678

22.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,942 $3,942

$4,717 $4,717

-16.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 $2,728

$2,795 $2,795

-2.43%

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)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-41.26%

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

Last update for Downingtown, PA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Downingtown, PA

$2.1K 62.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 18.5% $382

Groceries & Markets

Downingtown, PA

$358 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 25.5% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Downingtown, PA

$316 9.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 1.9% $6

Eating Out

Downingtown, PA

$286 8.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 20.2% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Downingtown, PA

$144 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 12.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Downingtown, PA

$95 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 5.3% $5.1

Getting Around

Downingtown, PA

$31 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 211% $65

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,140 in Downingtown, PA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Downingtown, PA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Downingtown, PA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Downingtown, PA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Downingtown, PA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:23 9:23 PM

20:23 8:23 PM

1 h behind Downingtown, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Downingtown, PA Chicago, IL 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Downingtown, PA
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

Downingtown, PA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,288 in Downingtown, PA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,932 per month in Downingtown, PA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Downingtown, PA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Downingtown, PA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,288 in Downingtown, PA 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 $3,288 in Downingtown, PA. 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, Downingtown, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.