Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima, OH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima, OH: $2,594 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Lima, OH
Learn more

Lima, OH Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Lima, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,594

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,594 per month in Lima, OH vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lima, OH $2,594
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,690 per month in Lima, OH vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lima, OH $3,690
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,785 per month in Lima, OH vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lima, OH $4,785
Chicago, IL $6,115

Lima, OH is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lima, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lima, OH by 91%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.30 $22.30

$20.65 $20.65

7.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 $77.3

$90.2 $90.2

-14.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.94 $12.94

-5.95%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.60 $5.60

-1.25%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.64 $2.64

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.27 $2.27

-10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.98 $6.98

-14.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$8.83 $8.83

-21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.27 $1.27

-56.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.80 $3.80

-16.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.30 $5.30

1.13%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$4.76 $4.76

-36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 $8.76

$13.96 $13.96

-37.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$14.61 $14.61

0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$18.77 $18.77

-15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.19 $5.19

-16.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.98 $1.98

-42.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.93 $3.93

15.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.96 $4.96

-11.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.76 $2.76

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.76 $2.76

-19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.22 $2.22

-12.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.98 $2.98

-31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 $9.99

$14.02 $14.02

-28.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.61 $16.61

$15.28 $15.28

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.50 $3.50

-41.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.47 $2.47

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.37 $42.37

$74.8 $74.8

-43.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.34 $3.34

-11.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.43 $1.43

-13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.59 $26.59

$24.32 $24.32

9.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.26 $1.26

-32.54%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.23%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-9.07%

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

$225 $225

$193 $193

16.90%

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

$67.9 $67.9

$68.3 $68.3

-0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$61.3 $61.3

9.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.23 $42.23

$54.1 $54.1

-21.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.94 $47.94

$27.92 $27.92

71.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 $13.05

$17.74 $17.74

-26.44%

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

$1,615 $1,615

$1,652 $1,652

-2.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.3K $34.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$66.1 $66.1

-23.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 $40.69

$51.2 $51.2

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 $82.6

$100 $100

-17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$141 $141

-21.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 $1,278

$2,446 $2,446

-47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 $1,257

$1,678 $1,678

-25.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 $2,211

$4,717 $4,717

-53.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$2,795 $2,795

-34.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,393 $1,393

$4,105 $4,105

-66.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,402 $1,402

$2,650 $2,650

-47.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,089 $5,089

$4,866 $4,866

4.60%

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 Lima, OH: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima, OH

$1.3K 48.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 33.5% $421

Groceries & Markets

Lima, OH

$378 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 18.9% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima, OH

$360 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 10.5% $38

Eating Out

Lima, OH

$343 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 0% $0

Clothing & Footwear

Lima, OH

$128 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 26.1% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Lima, OH

$68 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 31.1% $21

Getting Around

Lima, OH

$59 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 60.2% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Lima, OH versus $2,446 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 5% higher in Lima, OH, 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 $77.0 in Lima, OH versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $449 – making Lima, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lima, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

1 h behind Lima, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

35,868

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima, OH Chicago, IL 320 km

From you

Lima, OH
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

Lima, OH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,594 in Lima, OH, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,891 per month in Lima, OH and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, OH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Lima, OH and $90.0 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 Lima, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,594, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Lima, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,594 in Lima, OH to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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