Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Framingham, MA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,472 in Framingham, MA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Framingham, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

166

Cost of Living Index in Framingham, MA
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Framingham, MA Living Index
152

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

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Framingham, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,472

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,472 per month in Framingham, MA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Framingham, MA $3,472
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,893 per month in Framingham, MA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Framingham, MA $4,893
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,314 per month in Framingham, MA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Framingham, MA $6,314
Chicago, IL $6,115

Framingham, MA costs about 11% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Framingham, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Framingham, MA by 156%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 $18.15

$20.65 $20.65

-12.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.8 $94.8

$90.2 $90.2

5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.59 $13.59

$12.94 $12.94

5.02%

Cappuccino

$4.49 $4.49

$5.60 $5.60

-19.82%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.64 $2.64

10.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.27 $2.27

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.98 $6.98

-27.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 $5.48

$8.83 $8.83

-37.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.80 $3.80

3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.30 $5.30

0.94%

Eggs

$4.92 $4.92

$4.76 $4.76

3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$13.96 $13.96

-18.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 $8.93

$14.61 $14.61

-38.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.65 $17.65

$18.77 $18.77

-5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$5.19 $5.19

-28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.98 $1.98

-11.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$3.93 $3.93

68.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.96 $4.96

9.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.76 $2.76

-26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.76 $2.76

4.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.22 $2.22

36.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.98 $2.98

-15.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 $13.70

$14.02 $14.02

-2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 $13.70

$15.28 $15.28

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.58 $2.58

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.50 $3.50

18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.47 $2.47

-6.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.26 $1.26

-27.78%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.75%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.63%

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

$323 $323

$193 $193

67.38%

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

$29.62 $29.62

$68.3 $68.3

-56.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$61.3 $61.3

38.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.59 $24.59

$54.1 $54.1

-54.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.96 $24.96

$27.92 $27.92

-10.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 $9.97

$17.74 $17.74

-43.80%

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

$1,854 $1,854

$1,652 $1,652

12.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.59 $40.59

$66.1 $66.1

-38.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.29 $30.29

$51.2 $51.2

-40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 $69.3

$100 $100

-30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 $59.4

$141 $141

-57.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 $2,075

$2,446 $2,446

-15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 $2,188

$1,678 $1,678

30.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,912 $3,912

$4,717 $4,717

-17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,514 $3,514

$2,795 $2,795

25.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,896 $4,896

$4,866 $4,866

0.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Framingham, 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

Framingham, MA

$2.2K 63%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 23.3% $511

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Framingham, MA

$437 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 26.3% $115

Groceries & Markets

Framingham, MA

$406 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 10.6% $43

Eating Out

Framingham, MA

$297 8.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 15.6% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Framingham, MA

$90 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 79.6% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Framingham, MA

$45 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 101% $45

Getting Around

Framingham, MA

$9.2 * 0.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 932% $86

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,075 in Framingham, 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 1% higher in Framingham, MA, 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 Framingham, MA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $406 in Framingham, MA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Framingham, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Framingham, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:36 3:36 AM

02:36 2:36 AM

1 h behind Framingham, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

68,318

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Framingham, MA Chicago, IL 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Framingham, 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

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

Framingham, MA costs about 11% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,208 per month in Framingham, 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 Chicago, IL, 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 Framingham, 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 11% cheaper in Framingham, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,472 in Framingham, MA 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,472 in Framingham, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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