Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fall River, MA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Fall River, MA: $2,762 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Fall River, MA
Learn more

Fall River, MA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Fall River, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,762

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,762 per month in Fall River, MA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fall River, MA $2,762
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,879 per month in Fall River, MA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fall River, MA $3,879
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,995 per month in Fall River, MA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fall River, MA $4,995
Chicago, IL $6,115

Fall River, MA is about 12% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Fall River, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fall River, MA by 104%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 $18.34

$20.65 $20.65

-11.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.8 $94.8

$90.2 $90.2

5.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$12.94 $12.94

-9.12%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.60 $5.60

-5.00%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.64 $2.64

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.27 $2.27

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.98 $6.98

-28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$8.83 $8.83

-10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.80 $3.80

3.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.30 $5.30

5.85%

Eggs

$6.10 $6.10

$4.76 $4.76

28.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.88 $15.88

$13.96 $13.96

13.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$14.61 $14.61

-0.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 $17.67

$18.77 $18.77

-5.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.19 $5.19

32.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.98 $1.98

-9.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$3.93 $3.93

39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.96 $4.96

13.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.76 $2.76

58.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.76 $2.76

-31.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.22 $2.22

36.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.98 $2.98

-10.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.29 $13.29

$14.02 $14.02

-5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 $13.74

$15.28 $15.28

-10.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.58 $2.58

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.50 $3.50

21.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.34 $3.34

-21.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.43 $1.43

24.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.62 $27.62

$24.32 $24.32

13.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.26 $1.26

-13.49%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.92%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.79%

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

$241 $241

$193 $193

25.26%

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

$55.2 $55.2

$68.3 $68.3

-19.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.4 $86.4

$61.3 $61.3

40.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.47 $27.47

$54.1 $54.1

-49.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 $29.84

$27.92 $27.92

6.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 $16.31

$17.74 $17.74

-8.06%

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

$1,849 $1,849

$1,652 $1,652

11.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K $30.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$66.1 $66.1

-14.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.35 $38.35

$51.2 $51.2

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$100 $100

14.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 $99.3

$141 $141

-29.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 $1,137

$2,446 $2,446

-53.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 $1,389

$1,678 $1,678

-17.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 $1,893

$4,717 $4,717

-59.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$2,795 $2,795

-32.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,919 $2,919

$4,105 $4,105

-28.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,650 $2,650

4.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,354 $3,354

$4,866 $4,866

-31.07%

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 Fall River, MA: 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

Fall River, MA

$1.4K 50.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 20.8% $289

Groceries & Markets

Fall River, MA

$473 17.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.9% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fall River, MA

$383 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 15.9% $61

Eating Out

Fall River, MA

$307 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 11.8% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Fall River, MA

$139 5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 16.1% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Fall River, MA

$60 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 49.1% $30

Getting Around

Fall River, MA

$12 * 0.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 727% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,137 in Fall River, MA 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 45% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Fall River, MA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fall River, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

23:35 11:35 PM

1 h behind Fall River, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

88,857

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

Fall River, MA Chicago, IL 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Fall River, MA
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

Fall River, MA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,762 in Fall River, MA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,143 per month in Fall River, MA 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 Fall River, MA, 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 $95.0 in Fall River, MA 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 5% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fall River, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,762, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Fall River, MA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,762 in Fall River, MA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Fall River, MA. 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.