Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Enfield and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Enfield: $2,447 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Enfield, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Enfield
🇺🇸 United States
$2,447
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,072
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,447 per month in Enfield vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Enfield $2,447
  • Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,775 per month in Enfield vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Enfield $3,775
  • Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,103 per month in Enfield vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Enfield $5,103
  • Chicago, IL $6,019

Enfield is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Enfield and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Enfield by 81%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.33 $20.33
$20.39 $20.39
-0.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.6 $73.6
$88.6 $88.6
-16.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.52 $11.52
$12.85 $12.85
-10.35%
Cappuccino
$4.71 $4.71
$5.78 $5.78
-18.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 $2.89
$2.74 $2.74
5.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 $1.73
$2.26 $2.26
-23.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.22 $6.22
$6.88 $6.88
-9.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.67 $7.67
$9.24 $9.24
-16.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.26 $1.26
-17.46%
White Bread (500g)
$3.61 $3.61
$3.55 $3.55
1.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$5.38 $5.38
-19.14%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$4.55 $4.55
-9.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.22 $12.22
$13.65 $13.65
-10.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.82 $11.82
$14.07 $14.07
-15.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.13 $17.13
$18.06 $18.06
-5.15%
Apples (1kg)
$4.91 $4.91
$5.16 $5.16
-4.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.98 $1.98
-16.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.36 $4.36
$3.88 $3.88
12.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.59 $4.59
$4.83 $4.83
-4.97%
Potato (1kg)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.81 $2.81
-1.07%
Onion (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.67 $2.67
13.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.07 $2.07
6.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$3.03 $3.03
-27.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.84 $9.84
$13.90 $13.90
-29.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.73 $14.73
$15.05 $15.05
-2.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 $1.83
$2.63 $2.63
-30.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 $3.35
$3.45 $3.45
-2.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 $2.26
$2.43 $2.43
-7.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.7 $65.7
$75.3 $75.3
-12.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.44 $3.44
$3.17 $3.17
8.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.70 $1.70
-4.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.05 $29.05
$24.90 $24.90
16.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.28 $1.28
-10.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$35.8K $35.8K
-29.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K $22.4K
$26.8K $26.8K
-16.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 $200
$192 $192
4.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.3 $58.3
$69.6 $69.6
-16.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.4 $69.4
$62.2 $62.2
11.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.45 $39.45
$47.79 $47.79
-17.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.4 $50.4
$27.10 $27.10
85.79%
Cinema Ticket
$14.01 $14.01
$17.83 $17.83
-21.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,164 $1,164
$1,815 $1,815
-35.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K $18.0K
$40.6K $40.6K
-55.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 $54.2
$66.2 $66.2
-18.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.94 $41.94
$51.4 $51.4
-18.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.4 $88.4
$103 $103
-14.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 $114
$143 $143
-20.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,447 $1,447
$2,531 $2,531
-42.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,116 $1,116
$1,621 $1,621
-31.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,416 $2,416
$4,828 $4,828
-49.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,131 $2,131
$2,734 $2,734
-22.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,064 $3,064
$4,163 $4,163
-26.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,667 $2,667
$2,723 $2,723
-2.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Enfield
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,519 $5,519
$4,924 $4,924
12.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
6.78
-2.80%

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

Last update for Enfield: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Enfield
$1.1K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 45.3% $505
Groceries & Markets
Enfield
$397
Chicago, IL
$439 10.5% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Enfield
$327
Chicago, IL
$324 1.1% $3.6
Eating Out
Enfield
$319
Chicago, IL
$344 7.9% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Enfield
$134
Chicago, IL
$164 21.8% $29
Getting Around
Enfield
$86
Chicago, IL
$97 12.1% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Enfield
$67
Chicago, IL
$83 23.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,447 in Enfield versus $2,531 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 12% higher in Enfield, 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 $74 in Enfield versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $439 – making Enfield the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Enfield
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
03:00 3:00 AM
02:00 2:00 AM
1 h behind Enfield
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
45,231
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Enfield Chicago, IL 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Enfield
  • 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
Enfield vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Enfield and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,447 in Enfield, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Enfield comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Enfield compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,671 per month in Enfield and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Enfield and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Enfield, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,447 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Enfield and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,447 in Enfield and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Enfield or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Enfield – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Enfield or Chicago, IL?
For expats, Enfield is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 20% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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