Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Gloucester, MA: $2,837 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Gloucester, MA
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Gloucester, MA Living Index
146

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

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Gloucester, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,837

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,837 per month in Gloucester, MA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Gloucester, MA $2,837
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,132 per month in Gloucester, MA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Gloucester, MA $4,132
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,426 per month in Gloucester, MA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Gloucester, MA $5,426
Chicago, IL $6,019

Gloucester, MA is about 8% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gloucester, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Gloucester, MA by 110%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.07 $19.07

$20.39 $20.39

-6.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 $72.6

$88.6 $88.6

-18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 $11.23

$12.85 $12.85

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$4.62 $4.62

$5.78 $5.78

-20.07%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.74 $2.74

-14.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.26 $2.26

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 $6.60

$6.88 $6.88

-4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$9.24 $9.24

-25.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.26 $1.26

-19.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.55 $3.55

-0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$5.38 $5.38

-20.82%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$4.55 $4.55

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$13.65 $13.65

-9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$14.07 $14.07

-16.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$18.06 $18.06

-4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.16 $5.16

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.98 $1.98

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.88 $3.88

12.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$4.83 $4.83

-2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.81 $2.81

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.67 $2.67

7.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.07 $2.07

6.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.03 $3.03

-27.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 $10.23

$13.90 $13.90

-26.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.05 $15.05

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.63 $2.63

-21.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.45 $3.45

5.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$75.3 $75.3

-21.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.17 $3.17

10.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.70 $1.70

15.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 $34.18

$24.90 $24.90

37.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.28 $1.28

-12.50%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

-14.34%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

10.55%

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

$198 $198

$192 $192

3.15%

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

$58.8 $58.8

$69.6 $69.6

-15.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 $70.8

$62.2 $62.2

13.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 $40.79

$47.79 $47.79

-14.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 $13.04

$17.83 $17.83

-26.86%

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

$1,307 $1,307

$1,815 $1,815

-27.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K $18.5K

$40.6K $40.6K

-54.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 $53.8

$66.2 $66.2

-18.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 $41.76

$51.4 $51.4

-18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 $148

$103 $103

43.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$143 $143

-20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 $1,761

$2,531 $2,531

-30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 $1,496

$1,621 $1,621

-7.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 $3,041

$4,828 $4,828

-37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$2,734 $2,734

-8.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,715 $2,715

$4,163 $4,163

-34.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$2,723 $2,723

-10.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,429 $2,429

$4,924 $4,924

-50.67%

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 Gloucester, MA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gloucester, MA

$1.5K 52.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 8.3% $125

Groceries & Markets

Gloucester, MA

$399 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 10.1% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gloucester, MA

$328 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 1.2% $3.9

Eating Out

Gloucester, MA

$306 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 12.5% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Gloucester, MA

$161 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 1.9% $3.1

Getting Around

Gloucester, MA

$81 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 19.8% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Gloucester, MA

$67 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 24.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,761 in Gloucester, MA 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 in Chicago, IL are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Gloucester, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $439 – making Gloucester, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Gloucester, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:56 7:56 AM

06:56 6:56 AM

1 h behind Gloucester, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,729

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Gloucester, MA Chicago, IL 1,400 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Gloucester, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,837 in Gloucester, MA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Gloucester, MA comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,255 per month in Gloucester, MA 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 Gloucester, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,761 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Gloucester, MA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,837 in Gloucester, MA 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 Gloucester, MA – 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 Gloucester, MA. 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.