Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between East Providence, RI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,134 in East Providence, RI, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in East Providence, RI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

150

Cost of Living Index in East Providence, RI
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East Providence, RI Living Index
147

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

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East Providence, RI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,134

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,134 per month in East Providence, RI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

East Providence, RI $3,134
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,320 per month in East Providence, RI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

East Providence, RI $4,320
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,507 per month in East Providence, RI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

East Providence, RI $5,507
Chicago, IL $5,999

East Providence, RI costs about 3% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both East Providence, RI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – East Providence, RI by 130%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$20.71 $20.71

-4.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 $77.4

$89.2 $89.2

-13.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.72 $13.72

$13.19 $13.19

4.02%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$5.66 $5.66

-3.89%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$2.64 $2.64

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.28 $2.28

10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.87 $6.87

-12.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.84 $8.84

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.25 $1.25

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.72 $3.72

5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.39 $5.39

1.86%

Eggs

$4.83 $4.83

$4.74 $4.74

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$13.84 $13.84

-17.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.38 $14.38

$14.40 $14.40

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.49 $17.49

$18.38 $18.38

-4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.22 $5.22

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.98 $1.98

-10.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$4.06 $4.06

65.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.97 $4.97

-38.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.67 $2.67

-19.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.66 $2.66

-6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.24 $2.24

17.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.13 $3.13

-7.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 $13.59

$13.82 $13.82

-1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 $13.97

$14.88 $14.88

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.54 $2.54

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.51 $3.51

-18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 $57.7

$73.5 $73.5

-21.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.18 $3.18

92.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.39 $1.39

21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$25.03 $25.03

20.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.22%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.48%

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

$318 $318

$194 $194

63.52%

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

$87.1 $87.1

$69.5 $69.5

25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$61.6 $61.6

25.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 $41.92

$47.90 $47.90

-12.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 $58.0

$27.34 $27.34

112.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.66 $14.66

$17.81 $17.81

-17.69%

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

$1,805 $1,805

$1,794 $1,794

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-7.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.56 $38.56

$67.0 $67.0

-42.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.11 $16.11

$52.1 $52.1

-69.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$102 $102

-0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 $89.1

$144 $144

-38.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 $1,819

$2,526 $2,526

-28.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 $1,626

$1,578 $1,578

3.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 $2,586

$4,738 $4,738

-45.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 $2,284

$2,693 $2,693

-15.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,680 $2,680

$4,190 $4,190

-36.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,399 $2,399

$2,768 $2,768

-13.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,302 $6,302

$4,931 $4,931

27.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for East Providence, RI: 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

East Providence, RI

$1.6K 51.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 2.9% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

East Providence, RI

$482 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 32.5% $157

Groceries & Markets

East Providence, RI

$429 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4.2% $18

Eating Out

East Providence, RI

$334 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3.1% $10

Clothing & Footwear

East Providence, RI

$110 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 48.7% $54

Getting Around

East Providence, RI

$80 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 16.1% $13

Sport & Entertainment

East Providence, RI

$71 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,819 in East Providence, RI 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 28% higher in East Providence, RI. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in East Providence, RI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $447 – making East Providence, RI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 East Providence, RI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:05 9:05 PM

20:05 8:05 PM

1 h behind East Providence, RI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,123

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

East Providence, RI Chicago, IL 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

East Providence, RI
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

East Providence, RI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,134 in East Providence, RI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,700 per month in East Providence, RI 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 East Providence, RI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,819 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in East Providence, RI – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in East Providence, RI and $89 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 $3,134 in East Providence, RI and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,134 in East Providence, RI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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