Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maricopa, AZ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Maricopa, AZ: $2,504 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in Maricopa, AZ
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Maricopa, AZ Living Index
147

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

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Maricopa, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,504

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,504 per month in Maricopa, AZ vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maricopa, AZ $2,504
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,476 per month in Maricopa, AZ vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maricopa, AZ $3,476
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,448 per month in Maricopa, AZ vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maricopa, AZ $4,448
Chicago, IL $5,999

Maricopa, AZ is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Maricopa, AZ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Maricopa, AZ by 84%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$20.71 $20.71

-5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$89.2 $89.2

-11.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$13.19 $13.19

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$5.66 $5.66

-8.66%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.64 $2.64

4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.28 $2.28

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$6.87 $6.87

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 $7.50

$8.84 $8.84

-15.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.25 $1.25

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.72 $3.72

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$5.39 $5.39

-7.24%

Eggs

$4.58 $4.58

$4.74 $4.74

-3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$13.84 $13.84

-4.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$14.40 $14.40

-20.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 $17.16

$18.38 $18.38

-6.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$5.22 $5.22

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.98 $1.98

-2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.06 $4.06

-3.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.97 $4.97

-16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.67 $2.67

-7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.66 $2.66

10.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.24 $2.24

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.13 $3.13

-31.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 $11.00

$13.82 $13.82

-20.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$14.88 $14.88

-38.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.54 $2.54

-0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.51 $3.51

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

$73.5 $73.5

-17.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.18 $3.18

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.39 $1.39

-2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$25.03 $25.03

41.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.20 $1.20

-8.33%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

4.86%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.14%

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

$147 $147

$194 $194

-24.34%

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

$62.1 $62.1

$69.5 $69.5

-10.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 $64.0

$61.6 $61.6

3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.04 $45.04

$47.90 $47.90

-5.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 $12.77

$17.81 $17.81

-28.30%

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

$1,078 $1,078

$1,794 $1,794

-39.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K $15.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-51.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.64 $31.64

$67.0 $67.0

-52.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.67 $24.67

$52.1 $52.1

-52.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 $64.5

$102 $102

-36.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 $75.4

$144 $144

-47.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$2,526 $2,526

-39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$1,578 $1,578

-18.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$4,738 $4,738

-59.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 $1,679

$2,693 $2,693

-37.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,536 $2,536

$4,190 $4,190

-39.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,193 $2,193

$2,768 $2,768

-20.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,490 $6,490

$4,931 $4,931

31.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-41.26%

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

Last update for Maricopa, AZ: 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

Maricopa, AZ

$1.3K 51.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23% $295

Groceries & Markets

Maricopa, AZ

$383 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 16.7% $64

Eating Out

Maricopa, AZ

$327 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 5.4% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maricopa, AZ

$273 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 19.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Maricopa, AZ

$88 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 85.7% $76

Getting Around

Maricopa, AZ

$78 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 19.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Maricopa, AZ

$71 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 18.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,535 in Maricopa, AZ 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 32% higher in Maricopa, AZ, 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 $79 in Maricopa, AZ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $447 – making Maricopa, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Maricopa, AZ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:10 3:10 PM

17:10 5:10 PM

2 h ahead of Maricopa, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

62,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Maricopa, AZ Chicago, IL 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Maricopa, AZ
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

Maricopa, AZ vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,504 in Maricopa, AZ, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Maricopa, AZ comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,756 per month in Maricopa, AZ 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 Maricopa, AZ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,535 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Maricopa, AZ and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,504 in Maricopa, AZ and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Maricopa, AZ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Maricopa, AZ is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.