Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanover, NH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,555 in Hanover, NH, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hanover, NH outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

169

Cost of Living Index in Hanover, NH
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Hanover, NH Living Index
147

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

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Hanover, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$3,555

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,555 per month in Hanover, NH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hanover, NH $3,555
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,036 per month in Hanover, NH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hanover, NH $5,036
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,516 per month in Hanover, NH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hanover, NH $6,516
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hanover, NH costs about 17% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hanover, NH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hanover, NH by 161%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 $17.87

$20.71 $20.71

-13.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$89.2 $89.2

-16.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$13.19 $13.19

-16.15%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$5.66 $5.66

-10.60%

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

$1.99 $1.99

$2.64 $2.64

-24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.28 $2.28

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$6.87 $6.87

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$8.84 $8.84

-44.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.25 $1.25

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.72 $3.72

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.52 $8.52

$5.39 $5.39

58.07%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$4.74 $4.74

-14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$13.84 $13.84

40.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.09 $10.09

$14.40 $14.40

-29.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 $16.40

$18.38 $18.38

-10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.22 $5.22

-8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.98 $1.98

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$4.06 $4.06

48.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$4.97 $4.97

38.63%

Potato (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.67 $2.67

127.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.66 $2.66

43.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.24 $2.24

48.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.13 $3.13

-16.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 $9.46

$13.82 $13.82

-31.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$14.88 $14.88

2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.54 $2.54

-22.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.51 $3.51

-28.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.18 $3.18

-38.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 $1.39

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.94 $10.94

$25.03 $25.03

-56.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-24.79%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-7.00%

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

$119 $119

$194 $194

-38.73%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$69.5 $69.5

0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$61.6 $61.6

-3.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 $53.9

$47.90 $47.90

12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.23 $25.23

$27.34 $27.34

-7.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.03 $14.03

$17.81 $17.81

-21.22%

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

$1,226 $1,226

$1,794 $1,794

-31.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$67.0 $67.0

-22.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 $60.7

$52.1 $52.1

16.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$102 $102

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$144 $144

-6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,023 $3,023

$2,526 $2,526

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 $2,285

$1,578 $1,578

44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,635 $4,635

$4,738 $4,738

-2.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,594 $3,594

$2,693 $2,693

33.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,764 $6,764

$4,190 $4,190

61.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,620 $4,620

$2,768 $2,768

66.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

$4,931 $4,931

8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.81

-4.55%

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

Last update for Hanover, NH: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hanover, NH

$2.3K 64.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 30.9% $707

Groceries & Markets

Hanover, NH

$474 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 5.7% $27

Eating Out

Hanover, NH

$299 8.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 15.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hanover, NH

$249 7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 30.9% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Hanover, NH

$156 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 4.8% $7.6

Sport & Entertainment

Hanover, NH

$82 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 2% $1.6

Getting Around

Hanover, NH

$9.8 * 0.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 852% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,023 in Hanover, NH 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 9% higher in Hanover, NH, 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 $74 in Hanover, NH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $474 in Hanover, NH vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hanover, NH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:12 11:12 PM

22:12 10:12 PM

1 h behind Hanover, NH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,260

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Hanover, NH Chicago, IL 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Hanover, NH
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

Hanover, NH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,555 in Hanover, NH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,332 per month in Hanover, NH 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,023 in Hanover, NH.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Hanover, NH 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 6% more in Hanover, NH, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,555 in Hanover, NH 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,555 in Hanover, NH. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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