Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,165 in Natick, MA, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Natick, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

151

Cost of Living Index in Natick, MA
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Natick, MA Living Index
147

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

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Natick, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,165

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,165 per month in Natick, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Natick, MA $3,165
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,076 per month in Natick, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Natick, MA $3,076
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $2,986 per month in Natick, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Natick, MA $2,986
Chicago, IL $5,999

Natick, MA costs about 4% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Natick, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Natick, MA by 133%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.71 $20.71

-2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$89.2 $89.2

-15.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.98 $12.98

$13.19 $13.19

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$5.66 $5.66

-9.72%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$2.64 $2.64

5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.28 $2.28

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$6.87 $6.87

-14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$8.84 $8.84

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.25 $1.25

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.72 $3.72

20.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$5.39 $5.39

24.86%

Eggs

$5.84 $5.84

$4.74 $4.74

23.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.11 $22.11

$13.84 $13.84

59.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 $10.78

$14.40 $14.40

-25.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.37 $19.37

$18.38 $18.38

5.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 $7.26

$5.22 $5.22

39.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.98 $1.98

-42.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.06 $4.06

-18.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.97 $4.97

36.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.67 $2.67

5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.66 $2.66

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.24 $2.24

20.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.13 $3.13

-6.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.82 $13.82

-4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 $16.81

$14.88 $14.88

12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.54 $2.54

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.51 $3.51

39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.18 $3.18

92.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.35%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.26%

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

$86.4 $86.4

$194 $194

-55.54%

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

$29.89 $29.89

$69.5 $69.5

-56.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 $57.7

$61.6 $61.6

-6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$196 $196

$47.90 $47.90

309.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.43 $12.43

$17.81 $17.81

-30.21%

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

$2,178 $2,178

$1,794 $1,794

21.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.97 $38.97

$67.0 $67.0

-41.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.35 $16.35

$52.1 $52.1

-68.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,703 $2,703

$2,526 $2,526

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 $1,872

$1,578 $1,578

18.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

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)

$3,983 $3,983

$4,931 $4,931

-19.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Natick, 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

Natick, MA

$1.9K 59.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 15.7% $294

Groceries & Markets

Natick, MA

$492 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.1% $45

Eating Out

Natick, MA

$330 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Natick, MA

$221 7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 62.2% $137

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Natick, MA

$174 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 87% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Natick, MA

$70 * 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 134% $94

Getting Around

Natick, MA

$6.1 * 0.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 1428% $87

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,703 in Natick, 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.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $76 in Natick, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $492 in Natick, MA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Natick, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:12 7:12 PM

18:12 6:12 PM

1 h behind Natick, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,786

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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Highest

Between locations

Natick, MA Chicago, IL 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Natick, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,165 in Natick, MA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 4% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,748 per month in Natick, MA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,703 in Natick, MA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Natick, MA 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 10% more in Natick, MA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,165 in Natick, MA 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 Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.