Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Eliot, ME and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Eliot, ME: $2,793 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Eliot, ME
Learn more

Eliot, ME Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Eliot, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,793

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,793 per month in Eliot, ME vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eliot, ME $2,793
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,005 per month in Eliot, ME vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eliot, ME $4,005
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,217 per month in Eliot, ME vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eliot, ME $5,217
Chicago, IL $6,115

Eliot, ME is about 11% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Eliot, ME and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Eliot, ME by 106%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 $18.22

$20.65 $20.65

-11.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$90.2 $90.2

-44.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 $9.17

$12.94 $12.94

-29.13%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.60 $5.60

-11.79%

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

$1.85 $1.85

$2.64 $2.64

-29.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.27 $2.27

-35.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 $8.24

$6.98 $6.98

18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$8.83 $8.83

1.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.27 $1.27

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.80 $3.80

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.23 $7.23

$5.30 $5.30

36.42%

Eggs

$6.13 $6.13

$4.76 $4.76

28.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$13.96 $13.96

12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$14.61 $14.61

0.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$18.77 $18.77

1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 $7.50

$5.19 $5.19

44.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.93 $3.93

36.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$4.96 $4.96

52.02%

Potato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.76 $2.76

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.76 $2.76

44.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.22 $2.22

34.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.98 $2.98

-0.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 $13.39

$14.02 $14.02

-4.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.95 $15.95

$15.28 $15.28

4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.58 $2.58

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 $5.56

$3.50 $3.50

58.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.47 $2.47

-8.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.34 $3.34

-23.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.43 $1.43

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.95 $27.95

$24.32 $24.32

14.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.26 $1.26

-8.73%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.37%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.63%

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

$246 $246

$193 $193

27.65%

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

$45.58 $45.58

$68.3 $68.3

-33.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$61.3 $61.3

20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$54.1 $54.1

-22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$16.18 $16.18

$17.74 $17.74

-8.79%

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

$2,889 $2,889

$1,652 $1,652

74.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

15.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$66.1 $66.1

13.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

-0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$100 $100

16.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 $161

$141 $141

14.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$2,446 $2,446

-35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 $1,325

$1,678 $1,678

-21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 $2,527

$4,717 $4,717

-46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 $2,149

$2,795 $2,795

-23.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,501 $2,501

$4,105 $4,105

-39.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$2,650 $2,650

1.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.81

-2.20%

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

Last update for Eliot, ME: 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

Eliot, ME

$1.3K 47.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 26.6% $353

Groceries & Markets

Eliot, ME

$522 18.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.8% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Eliot, ME

$365 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 11.8% $43

Eating Out

Eliot, ME

$305 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 12.6% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Eliot, ME

$182 6.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 11.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Eliot, ME

$74 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 20.7% $15

Getting Around

Eliot, ME

$20 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 366% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,585 in Eliot, ME 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 $50.0 in Eliot, ME versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $522 in Eliot, ME vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Eliot, ME

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:36 3:36 AM

02:36 2:36 AM

1 h behind Eliot, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,700

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

Eliot, ME Chicago, IL 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Eliot, ME
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

Eliot, ME vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,793 in Eliot, ME, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 12% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,190 per month in Eliot, ME 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 Eliot, ME, 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 $50.0 in Eliot, ME 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 16% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,793 in Eliot, ME 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 $2,793 in Eliot, ME to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. 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 Eliot, ME. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.