Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Middletown, OH: $1,964 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

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

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

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Middletown, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,964

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,964 per month in Middletown, OH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Middletown, OH $1,964
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,921 per month in Middletown, OH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Middletown, OH $2,921
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,878 per month in Middletown, OH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Middletown, OH $3,878
Chicago, IL $5,999

Middletown, OH is about 35% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Middletown, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Middletown, OH by 44%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 $14.79

$20.71 $20.71

-28.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 $65.4

$89.2 $89.2

-26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 $9.21

$13.19 $13.19

-30.17%

Cappuccino

$4.41 $4.41

$5.66 $5.66

-22.08%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$2.64 $2.64

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.28 $2.28

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$6.87 $6.87

-57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$8.84 $8.84

-34.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.25 $1.25

-43.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.72 $3.72

-14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$5.39 $5.39

-36.92%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$4.74 $4.74

-38.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$13.84 $13.84

-10.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.09 $10.09

$14.40 $14.40

-29.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$18.38 $18.38

-5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$5.22 $5.22

7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$4.06 $4.06

-44.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.97 $4.97

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.67 $2.67

-15.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.66 $2.66

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.24 $2.24

-13.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.13 $3.13

-18.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 $11.17

$13.82 $13.82

-19.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 $11.99

$14.88 $14.88

-19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.54 $2.54

-19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.51 $3.51

-0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.43 $2.43

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.4 $66.4

$73.5 $73.5

-9.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.18 $3.18

-37.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.39 $1.39

21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.51 $34.51

$25.03 $25.03

37.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.20 $1.20

-32.50%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-11.55%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.63%

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

$234 $234

$194 $194

20.59%

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

$60.0 $60.0

$69.5 $69.5

-13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.87 $48.87

$61.6 $61.6

-20.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 $42.89

$47.90 $47.90

-10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 $10.06

$17.81 $17.81

-43.51%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$1,794 $1,794

-4.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

-25.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$67.0 $67.0

-17.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 $44.98

$52.1 $52.1

-13.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$102 $102

-10.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 $946

$2,526 $2,526

-62.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 $726

$1,578 $1,578

-53.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$4,738 $4,738

-71.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$2,693 $2,693

-54.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 $2,499

$4,190 $4,190

-40.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,574 $2,574

$2,768 $2,768

-7.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,933 $5,933

$4,931 $4,931

20.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Middletown, 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

Middletown, OH

$726 37%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 117% $852

Groceries & Markets

Middletown, OH

$363 18.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 23.1% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Middletown, OH

$343 17.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.2% $18

Eating Out

Middletown, OH

$243 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 42.1% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Middletown, OH

$141 7.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 16.7% $23

Getting Around

Middletown, OH

$85 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 10% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Middletown, OH

$63 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 32.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Middletown, 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.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Middletown, 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 $65 in Middletown, OH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $447 – making Middletown, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Middletown, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

02:31 2:31 AM

1 h behind Middletown, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

47,648

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Middletown, OH Chicago, IL 380 km

From you

Middletown, OH
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,964 in Middletown, OH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Middletown, OH comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,946 per month in Middletown, 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 Middletown, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $946 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Middletown, OH and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

For expats, Middletown, OH is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 35% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.