Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Longmeadow, MA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Longmeadow, MA: $2,951 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Longmeadow, MA, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Longmeadow, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,951
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,951 per month in Longmeadow, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Longmeadow, MA $2,951
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,281 per month in Longmeadow, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Longmeadow, MA $4,281
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,611 per month in Longmeadow, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Longmeadow, MA $5,611
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Longmeadow, MA is about 3% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Longmeadow, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Longmeadow, MA by 117%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.27 $27.27
$20.71 $20.71
31.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 $100
$89.2 $89.2
12.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.10 $15.10
$13.19 $13.19
14.48%
Cappuccino
$6.52 $6.52
$5.66 $5.66
15.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$2.64 $2.64
3.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.28 $2.28
-13.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.14 $6.14
$6.87 $6.87
-10.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.39 $10.39
$8.84 $8.84
17.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.25 $1.25
-14.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.22 $3.22
$3.72 $3.72
-13.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.56 $5.56
$5.39 $5.39
3.15%
Eggs
$5.11 $5.11
$4.74 $4.74
7.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.29 $16.29
$13.84 $13.84
17.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.72 $15.72
$14.40 $14.40
9.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.91 $17.91
$18.38 $18.38
-2.56%
Apples (1kg)
$4.92 $4.92
$5.22 $5.22
-5.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.98 $1.98
-28.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$4.06 $4.06
32.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.83 $4.83
$4.97 $4.97
-2.82%
Potato (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.67 $2.67
22.10%
Onion (1kg)
$3.64 $3.64
$2.66 $2.66
36.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.24 $2.24
-9.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$3.13 $3.13
-36.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.88 $14.88
$13.82 $13.82
7.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.09 $14.09
$14.88 $14.88
-5.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$2.54 $2.54
-18.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 $3.98
$3.51 $3.51
13.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.43 $2.43
-26.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.5 $66.5
$73.5 $73.5
-9.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.12 $5.12
$3.18 $3.18
61.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.39 $1.39
2.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.76 $29.76
$25.03 $25.03
18.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.20 $1.20
-11.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$35.0K $35.0K
-22.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$26.7K $26.7K
-2.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 $214
$194 $194
10.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.1 $71.1
$69.5 $69.5
2.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$90.7 $90.7
$61.6 $61.6
47.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.44 $41.44
$47.90 $47.90
-13.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.85 $14.85
$17.81 $17.81
-16.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,467 $1,467
$1,794 $1,794
-18.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.3K $17.3K
$31.9K $31.9K
-45.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 $54.1
$67.0 $67.0
-19.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.31 $40.31
$52.1 $52.1
-22.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$102 $102
11.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$144 $144
-23.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 $1,401
$2,526 $2,526
-44.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,422 $1,422
$1,578 $1,578
-9.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,346 $2,346
$4,738 $4,738
-50.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,168 $2,168
$2,693 $2,693
-19.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,788 $2,788
$4,190 $4,190
-33.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,499 $2,499
$2,768 $2,768
-9.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Longmeadow, MA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,931 $4,931
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
6.81
-2.20%

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

Last update for Longmeadow, MA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Longmeadow, MA
$1.4K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 11% $156
Groceries & Markets
Longmeadow, MA
$441
Chicago, IL
$447 1.4% $6.2
Eating Out
Longmeadow, MA
$412
Chicago, IL
$345 16.3% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Longmeadow, MA
$376
Chicago, IL
$326 13.4% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Longmeadow, MA
$143
Chicago, IL
$164 14.9% $21
Getting Around
Longmeadow, MA
$86
Chicago, IL
$93 8.8% $7.5
Sport & Entertainment
Longmeadow, MA
$71
Chicago, IL
$84 17.4% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,401 in Longmeadow, MA 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 $100 in Longmeadow, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $441 in Longmeadow, MA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Longmeadow, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Longmeadow, MA
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
16:35 4:35 PM
15:35 3:35 PM
1 h behind Longmeadow, MA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,784
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Longmeadow, MA Chicago, IL 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Longmeadow, MA
  • 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
Longmeadow, MA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Longmeadow, MA and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,951 in Longmeadow, MA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Longmeadow, MA comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Longmeadow, MA compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,427 per month in Longmeadow, MA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Longmeadow, MA and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Longmeadow, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,401 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Longmeadow, MA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Longmeadow, MA and in Chicago, IL?
Public transport costs about 10% less in Longmeadow, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,951 in Longmeadow, MA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Longmeadow, MA or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Longmeadow, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Longmeadow, MA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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