Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Medford, MA and in Chicago, IL: $3,154 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

151

Cost of Living Index in Medford, MA
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Medford, MA Living Index
152

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

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Medford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,154

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,154 per month in Medford, MA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Medford, MA $3,154
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Medford, MA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Medford, MA $4,274
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,393 per month in Medford, MA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Medford, MA $5,393
Chicago, IL $6,115

Medford, MA and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medford, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Medford, MA by 133%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 $18.19

$20.65 $20.65

-11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.1 $96.1

$90.2 $90.2

6.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$12.94 $12.94

-6.41%

Cappuccino

$5.43 $5.43

$5.60 $5.60

-3.04%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.64 $2.64

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.27 $2.27

8.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.98 $6.98

14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.22 $9.22

$8.83 $8.83

4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 $1.27

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.80 $3.80

6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$5.30 $5.30

2.83%

Eggs

$4.83 $4.83

$4.76 $4.76

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$13.96 $13.96

-19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$14.61 $14.61

-2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.78 $17.78

$18.77 $18.77

-5.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$5.19 $5.19

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$3.93 $3.93

43.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.96 $4.96

9.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.76 $2.76

63.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.76 $2.76

46.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.22 $2.22

30.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.98 $2.98

-0.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.37 $13.37

$14.02 $14.02

-4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 $13.66

$15.28 $15.28

-10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.58 $2.58

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.50 $3.50

17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 $88.6

$74.8 $74.8

18.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.34 $3.34

-21.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.43 $1.43

24.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.34 $28.34

$24.32 $24.32

16.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.88%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.12%

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

$239 $239

$193 $193

24.02%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$68.3 $68.3

-17.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.5 $84.5

$61.3 $61.3

37.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.19 $45.19

$54.1 $54.1

-16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$17.74 $17.74

-19.50%

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

$1,818 $1,818

$1,652 $1,652

10.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.4K $29.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-5.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$66.1 $66.1

-12.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.35 $38.35

$51.2 $51.2

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 $81.3

$100 $100

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$141 $141

-28.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$2,446 $2,446

-34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 $1,682

$1,678 $1,678

0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 $2,543

$4,717 $4,717

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$2,795 $2,795

-24.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 $2,666

$4,105 $4,105

-35.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 $2,577

$2,650 $2,650

-2.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

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 Medford, MA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medford, MA

$1.7K 53.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 0.2% $3.8

Groceries & Markets

Medford, MA

$458 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 1.8% $8.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medford, MA

$380 12%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 15.1% $57

Eating Out

Medford, MA

$327 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 5.1% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Medford, MA

$125 4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29% $36

Getting Around

Medford, MA

$110 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 13.5% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Medford, MA

$74 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 21.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,606 in Medford, MA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Medford, MA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Medford, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:01 2:01 AM

01:01 1:01 AM

1 h behind Medford, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,173

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Medford, MA Chicago, IL 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Medford, 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

Medford, MA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,732 per month in Medford, MA 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Medford, MA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,154 in Medford, MA and $3,139 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,154 in Medford, MA. 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medford, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.