Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Groton, CT and in Chicago, IL: $3,035 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Groton, CT
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Groton, CT Living Index
147

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

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Groton, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,035

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,035 per month in Groton, CT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Groton, CT $3,035
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,131 per month in Groton, CT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Groton, CT $4,131
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,227 per month in Groton, CT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Groton, CT $5,227
Chicago, IL $5,999

Groton, CT and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 $18.08

$20.71 $20.71

-12.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 $63.8

$89.2 $89.2

-28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.42 $13.42

$13.19 $13.19

1.74%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$5.66 $5.66

-10.25%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.64 $2.64

-4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.28 $2.28

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$6.87 $6.87

-26.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$8.84 $8.84

-31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.72 $3.72

2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.39 $5.39

-2.97%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.74 $4.74

3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$13.84 $13.84

-19.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.36 $14.36

$14.40 $14.40

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$18.38 $18.38

-4.90%

Apples (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$5.22 $5.22

30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.98 $1.98

-11.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$4.06 $4.06

65.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.97 $4.97

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.67 $2.67

5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.66 $2.66

61.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.24 $2.24

31.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.13 $3.13

-51.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 $13.80

$13.82 $13.82

-0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 $13.59

$14.88 $14.88

-8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.54 $2.54

-16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.51 $3.51

17.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.43 $2.43

-7.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.2 $57.2

$73.5 $73.5

-22.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.18 $3.18

-11.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.39 $1.39

14.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 $30.07

$25.03 $25.03

20.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.99%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.45%

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

$324 $324

$194 $194

66.90%

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

$106 $106

$69.5 $69.5

52.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 $85.9

$61.6 $61.6

39.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.71 $36.71

$47.90 $47.90

-23.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 $14.12

$17.81 $17.81

-20.72%

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

$1,866 $1,866

$1,794 $1,794

4.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-4.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$67.0 $67.0

-14.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 $38.87

$52.1 $52.1

-25.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$102 $102

-20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$144 $144

-30.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,097 $2,097

$2,526 $2,526

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$1,578 $1,578

-4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,514 $2,514

$4,738 $4,738

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 $2,094

$2,693 $2,693

-22.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,202 $3,202

$4,190 $4,190

-23.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,306 $2,306

$2,768 $2,768

-16.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Groton, 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

Groton, CT

$1.5K 49.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 4.4% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Groton, CT

$516 17%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 36.9% $190

Groceries & Markets

Groton, CT

$440 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 1.8% $7.8

Eating Out

Groton, CT

$301 9.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14.5% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Groton, CT

$125 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 31.5% $39

Getting Around

Groton, CT

$77 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 21.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Groton, CT

$65 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 28.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,097 in Groton, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Groton, CT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $440 vs $447 – making Groton, CT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Groton, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:06 12:06 PM

11:06 11:06 AM

1 h behind Groton, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,115

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Groton, CT Chicago, IL 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Groton, 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,553 per month in Groton, CT and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Groton, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,097 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,866 per month in Groton, CT and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Groton, CT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,035 in Groton, CT and $3,037 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 $3,035 in Groton, CT to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.