Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Farmington, CT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Farmington, CT: $2,967 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

141

Cost of Living Index in Farmington, CT
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Farmington, CT Living Index
146

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

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Farmington, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,967

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,967 per month in Farmington, CT vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Farmington, CT $2,967
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,156 per month in Farmington, CT vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Farmington, CT $4,156
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,345 per month in Farmington, CT vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Farmington, CT $5,345
Chicago, IL $6,019

Farmington, CT is about 3% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Farmington, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Farmington, CT by 119%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.56 $20.56

$20.39 $20.39

0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 $98.9

$88.6 $88.6

11.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.85 $12.85

-6.07%

Cappuccino

$4.15 $4.15

$5.78 $5.78

-28.20%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$2.74 $2.74

4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.26 $2.26

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$6.88 $6.88

1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 $7.33

$9.24 $9.24

-20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.26 $1.26

17.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.55 $3.55

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$5.38 $5.38

-20.45%

Eggs

$5.21 $5.21

$4.55 $4.55

14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$13.65 $13.65

21.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$14.07 $14.07

-5.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$18.06 $18.06

-7.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$5.16 $5.16

-13.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.98 $1.98

7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.88 $3.88

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.83 $4.83

-8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.81 $2.81

-41.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.67 $2.67

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.07 $2.07

-46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.03 $3.03

-17.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 $13.85

$13.90 $13.90

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$15.05 $15.05

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.63 $2.63

-13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.45 $3.45

6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.17 $3.17

54.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.70 $1.70

27.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.43 $48.43

$24.90 $24.90

94.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.28 $1.28

-14.84%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.8K $35.8K

-21.98%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.11%

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

$193 $193

$192 $192

0.37%

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

$53.9 $53.9

$69.6 $69.6

-22.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 $53.3

$62.2 $62.2

-14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$17.83 $17.83

-14.64%

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

$822 $822

$1,815 $1,815

-54.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K $35.4K

$40.6K $40.6K

-12.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$66.2 $66.2

-23.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.42 $37.42

$51.4 $51.4

-27.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 $76.0

$103 $103

-26.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 $79.8

$143 $143

-44.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$2,531 $2,531

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 $1,769

$1,621 $1,621

9.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 $3,037

$4,828 $4,828

-37.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 $2,544

$2,734 $2,734

-6.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,170 $4,170

$4,924 $4,924

-15.31%

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 Farmington, CT: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Farmington, CT

$1.8K 59.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 8.3% $147

Groceries & Markets

Farmington, CT

$425 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 3.3% $14

Eating Out

Farmington, CT

$317 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 8.4% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Farmington, CT

$300 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 8% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Farmington, CT

$110 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 49.2% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Farmington, CT

$30 * 1%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 174% $53

Getting Around

Farmington, CT

$16 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 514% $81

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in Farmington, CT 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 18% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Farmington, CT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $425 in Farmington, CT vs $439 in Chicago, IL – so Farmington, CT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Farmington, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

16:16 4:16 PM

1 h behind Farmington, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,207

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Farmington, CT Chicago, IL 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Farmington, CT
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

Farmington, CT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,967 in Farmington, CT, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Farmington, CT comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,450 per month in Farmington, CT and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Farmington, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,972 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Farmington, CT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,967 in Farmington, CT and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Farmington, CT – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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