Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Medina, OH: $2,466 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Medina, OH
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Medina, OH Living Index
147

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

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Medina, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,466

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Medina, OH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Medina, OH $2,466
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,044 per month in Medina, OH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Medina, OH $4,044
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,622 per month in Medina, OH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Medina, OH $5,622
Chicago, IL $5,999

Medina, OH is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Medina, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Medina, OH by 81%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.29 $18.29

$20.71 $20.71

-11.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$89.2 $89.2

-31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$13.19 $13.19

-25.09%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$5.66 $5.66

-13.96%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.64 $2.64

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.28 $2.28

-56.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$6.87 $6.87

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 $6.91

$8.84 $8.84

-21.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 $1.25

-20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.72 $3.72

-3.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$5.39 $5.39

-17.44%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$4.74 $4.74

-18.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$13.84 $13.84

-35.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 $12.84

$14.40 $14.40

-10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$18.38 $18.38

-4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$5.22 $5.22

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.06 $4.06

3.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.97 $4.97

10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.67 $2.67

-51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.66 $2.66

-6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.24 $2.24

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.13 $3.13

-37.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 $8.78

$13.82 $13.82

-36.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 $13.02

$14.88 $14.88

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.54 $2.54

-42.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.51 $3.51

-58.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.18 $3.18

27.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.39 $1.39

10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.15 $21.15

$25.03 $25.03

-15.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.20 $1.20

-12.50%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-2.98%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.17%

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

$251 $251

$194 $194

28.92%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$69.5 $69.5

-25.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$61.6 $61.6

13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 $37.46

$47.90 $47.90

-21.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 $11.98

$17.81 $17.81

-32.73%

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

$1,790 $1,790

$1,794 $1,794

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K $34.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

7.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.84 $45.84

$67.0 $67.0

-31.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.89 $47.89

$52.1 $52.1

-8.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 $75.0

$102 $102

-26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$144 $144

-48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 $1,029

$2,526 $2,526

-59.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 $1,246

$1,578 $1,578

-21.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 $2,728

$4,738 $4,738

-42.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 $3,047

$2,693 $2,693

13.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

6.81

-8.22%

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

Last update for Medina, OH: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medina, OH

$1.2K 50.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 26.6% $332

Groceries & Markets

Medina, OH

$380 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 17.9% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medina, OH

$372 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 12.6% $47

Eating Out

Medina, OH

$286 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 20.8% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Medina, OH

$109 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 50.3% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Medina, OH

$61 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 36% $22

Getting Around

Medina, OH

$12 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 697% $82

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,029 in Medina, OH 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 $61 in Medina, OH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $447 – making Medina, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Medina, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:03 3:03 PM

14:03 2:03 PM

1 h behind Medina, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,000

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

Medina, OH Chicago, IL 490 km

From you

Medina, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,466 in Medina, OH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,699 per month in Medina, OH 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 Medina, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,029 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Medina, OH and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,466 in Medina, OH and $3,037 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 $2,466 in Medina, OH to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.