Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hartford, CT: $2,487 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

119

Cost of Living Index in Hartford, CT
Learn more

Hartford, CT Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Hartford, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,487

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,487 per month in Hartford, CT vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hartford, CT $2,487
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,560 per month in Hartford, CT vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hartford, CT $3,560
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,633 per month in Hartford, CT vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hartford, CT $4,633
Chicago, IL $6,019

Hartford, CT is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Hartford, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hartford, CT by 84%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.66 $20.66

$20.39 $20.39

1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$88.6 $88.6

11.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$12.85 $12.85

-6.85%

Cappuccino

$4.29 $4.29

$5.78 $5.78

-25.78%

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

$3.17 $3.17

$2.74 $2.74

15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.26 $2.26

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$6.88 $6.88

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.41 $7.41

$9.24 $9.24

-19.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.26 $1.26

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.55 $3.55

38.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$5.38 $5.38

-21.75%

Eggs

$5.25 $5.25

$4.55 $4.55

15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.69 $19.69

$13.65 $13.65

44.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$14.07 $14.07

-8.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$18.06 $18.06

-5.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$5.16 $5.16

37.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.98 $1.98

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.88 $3.88

17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.83 $4.83

-6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.81 $2.81

-42.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.67 $2.67

1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 $1.15

$2.07 $2.07

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.03 $3.03

-14.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 $13.60

$13.90 $13.90

-2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 $16.14

$15.05 $15.05

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.63 $2.63

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.45 $3.45

-42.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.43 $2.43

-27.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 $63.3

$75.3 $75.3

-15.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.17 $3.17

-3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.70 $1.70

30.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.61 $42.61

$24.90 $24.90

71.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.28 $1.28

-7.81%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.62%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.18%

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

$197 $197

$192 $192

2.56%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$69.6 $69.6

-22.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 $53.4

$62.2 $62.2

-14.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 $50.3

$47.79 $47.79

5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.22 $30.22

$27.10 $27.10

11.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 $12.94

$17.83 $17.83

-27.43%

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

$830 $830

$1,815 $1,815

-54.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K $36.3K

$40.6K $40.6K

-10.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$66.2 $66.2

-11.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 $38.06

$51.4 $51.4

-25.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.6 $51.6

$103 $103

-50.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 $80.6

$143 $143

-43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 $1,886

$2,531 $2,531

-25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 $1,144

$1,621 $1,621

-29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,896 $2,896

$4,828 $4,828

-40.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$2,734 $2,734

-45.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 $2,363

$4,163 $4,163

-43.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 $2,047

$2,723 $2,723

-24.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,275 $3,275

$4,924 $4,924

-33.47%

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 Hartford, CT: 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

Hartford, CT

$1.1K 46%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 41.7% $477

Groceries & Markets

Hartford, CT

$454 18.3%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 3.3% $15

Eating Out

Hartford, CT

$321 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 7.3% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hartford, CT

$304 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 6.4% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Hartford, CT

$103 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 59% $61

Getting Around

Hartford, CT

$85 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 14.4% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Hartford, CT

$76 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 9.6% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,886 in Hartford, CT 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 run about 50% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Hartford, CT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $454 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hartford, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:53 3:53 PM

14:53 2:53 PM

1 h behind Hartford, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

122,366

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hartford, CT Chicago, IL 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Hartford, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,487 in Hartford, CT, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Hartford, CT comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,730 per month in Hartford, CT 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 Hartford, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,886 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Hartford, CT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hartford, CT, where all-in costs run around $2,487, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Hartford, CT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hartford, CT – 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 Hartford, CT. 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.