Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Greenwich, CT: $2,737 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Greenwich, CT, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Greenwich, CT
🇺🇸 United States
$2,737
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,737 per month in Greenwich, CT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Greenwich, CT $2,737
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,125 per month in Greenwich, CT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Greenwich, CT $4,125
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Greenwich, CT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Greenwich, CT $5,513
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Greenwich, CT is about 10% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Greenwich, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Greenwich, CT by 101%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$20.71 $20.71
22.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 $100
$89.2 $89.2
12.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 $11.20
$13.19 $13.19
-15.09%
Cappuccino
$5.65 $5.65
$5.66 $5.66
-0.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$2.64 $2.64
-15.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$2.28 $2.28
-30.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.05 $7.05
$6.87 $6.87
2.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.14 $8.14
$8.84 $8.84
-7.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.25 $1.25
-16.80%
White Bread (500g)
$4.36 $4.36
$3.72 $3.72
17.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.55 $7.55
$5.39 $5.39
40.07%
Eggs
$5.86 $5.86
$4.74 $4.74
23.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.70 $12.70
$13.84 $13.84
-8.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.78 $11.78
$14.40 $14.40
-18.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.58 $17.58
$18.38 $18.38
-4.35%
Apples (1kg)
$5.54 $5.54
$5.22 $5.22
6.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.98 $1.98
-10.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.19 $6.19
$4.06 $4.06
52.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.24 $6.24
$4.97 $4.97
25.55%
Potato (1kg)
$5.46 $5.46
$2.67 $2.67
104.49%
Onion (1kg)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.66 $2.66
42.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.86 $2.86
$2.24 $2.24
27.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$3.13 $3.13
-10.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.82 $11.82
$13.82 $13.82
-14.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.46 $24.46
$14.88 $14.88
64.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.54 $2.54
-32.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.33 $5.33
$3.51 $3.51
51.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.43 $2.43
-19.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.1 $61.1
$73.5 $73.5
-16.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.07 $3.07
$3.18 $3.18
-3.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 $2.09
$1.39 $1.39
50.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.26 $24.26
$25.03 $25.03
-3.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.20 $1.20
-10.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$35.0K $35.0K
-22.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$26.7K $26.7K
-2.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$212 $212
$194 $194
8.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.9 $50.9
$69.5 $69.5
-26.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 $50.2
$61.6 $61.6
-18.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.44 $39.44
$47.90 $47.90
-17.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.4 $50.4
$27.34 $27.34
84.38%
Cinema Ticket
$14.38 $14.38
$17.81 $17.81
-19.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 $790
$1,794 $1,794
-55.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.6K $19.6K
$31.9K $31.9K
-38.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.97 $40.97
$67.0 $67.0
-38.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.6 $56.6
$52.1 $52.1
8.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.5 $75.5
$102 $102
-25.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155 $155
$144 $144
7.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,456 $2,456
$2,526 $2,526
-2.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 $1,266
$1,578 $1,578
-19.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,549 $2,549
$4,738 $4,738
-46.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 $2,102
$2,693 $2,693
-21.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,798 $2,798
$4,190 $4,190
-33.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,336 $2,336
$2,768 $2,768
-15.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Greenwich, CT
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,651 $7,651
$4,931 $4,931
55.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
6.81
-0.88%

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

Last update for Greenwich, CT: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Greenwich, CT
$1.3K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 24.6% $312
Groceries & Markets
Greenwich, CT
$489
Chicago, IL
$447 8.5% $42
Eating Out
Greenwich, CT
$371
Chicago, IL
$345 6.9% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greenwich, CT
$313
Chicago, IL
$326 4% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Greenwich, CT
$147
Chicago, IL
$164 11.2% $17
Getting Around
Greenwich, CT
$83
Chicago, IL
$93 13.2% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Greenwich, CT
$68
Chicago, IL
$84 22.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,456 in Greenwich, CT versus $2,526 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 55% higher in Greenwich, CT, 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 $100 in Greenwich, CT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $489 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Greenwich, CT
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
07:28 7:28 AM
06:28 6:28 AM
1 h behind Greenwich, CT
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
62,077
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Greenwich, CT Chicago, IL 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Greenwich, 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
Greenwich, CT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Greenwich, CT and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,737 in Greenwich, CT, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Greenwich, CT comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Greenwich, CT compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,105 per month in Greenwich, CT and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Greenwich, CT and in Chicago, IL?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,456 in Greenwich, CT and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Greenwich, CT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Where should families live: Greenwich, CT or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Greenwich, CT – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Greenwich, CT vs other spots: cost of living compared

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