Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Britain, CT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in New Britain, CT: $2,541 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in New Britain, CT
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New Britain, CT Living Index
152

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

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New Britain, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,541

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,541 per month in New Britain, CT vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Britain, CT $2,541
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,946 per month in New Britain, CT vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Britain, CT $3,946
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,351 per month in New Britain, CT vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Britain, CT $5,351
Chicago, IL $6,115

New Britain, CT is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both New Britain, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – New Britain, CT by 88%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 $17.99

$20.65 $20.65

-12.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 $94.5

$90.2 $90.2

4.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.67 $13.67

$12.94 $12.94

5.64%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$5.60 $5.60

-0.36%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$2.64 $2.64

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.27 $2.27

20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.98 $6.98

-28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.83 $8.83

-9.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.27 $1.27

-15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.80 $3.80

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.30 $5.30

-0.19%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.76 $4.76

2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$13.96 $13.96

-18.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.42 $14.42

$14.61 $14.61

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 $17.45

$18.77 $18.77

-7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.19 $5.19

32.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.98 $1.98

-8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$3.93 $3.93

69.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$4.96 $4.96

13.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.76 $2.76

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.76 $2.76

61.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.22 $2.22

37.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.98 $2.98

-35.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 $13.75

$14.02 $14.02

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 $13.54

$15.28 $15.28

-11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.58 $2.58

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.50 $3.50

22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.47 $2.47

-29.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.34 $3.34

-15.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.43 $1.43

31.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.54 $29.54

$24.32 $24.32

21.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.28%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.94%

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

$318 $318

$193 $193

65.04%

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

$104 $104

$68.3 $68.3

52.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 $54.2

$61.3 $61.3

-11.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 $41.15

$54.1 $54.1

-23.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$17.74 $17.74

-16.91%

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

$1,014 $1,014

$1,652 $1,652

-38.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-1.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$66.1 $66.1

-12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.53 $38.53

$51.2 $51.2

-24.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 $81.4

$100 $100

-18.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 $98.4

$141 $141

-30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 $1,119

$2,446 $2,446

-54.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 $1,088

$1,678 $1,678

-35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 $2,522

$4,717 $4,717

-46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$2,795 $2,795

-22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 $2,664

$4,105 $4,105

-35.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,617 $2,617

$2,650 $2,650

-1.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,980 $3,980

$4,866 $4,866

-18.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-26.58%

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

Last update for New Britain, CT: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New Britain, CT

$1.1K 42.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 54.2% $590

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New Britain, CT

$476 18.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 32.3% $154

Groceries & Markets

New Britain, CT

$448 17.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 0.4% $1.9

Eating Out

New Britain, CT

$315 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9% $28

Clothing & Footwear

New Britain, CT

$124 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29.9% $37

Sport & Entertainment

New Britain, CT

$71 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 26.9% $19

Getting Around

New Britain, CT

$19 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 395% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,119 in New Britain, CT 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.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in New Britain, CT versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $448 in New Britain, CT vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so New Britain, CT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New Britain, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:32 3:32 AM

02:32 2:32 AM

1 h behind New Britain, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,206

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New Britain, CT Chicago, IL 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New Britain, CT
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

New Britain, CT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,541 in New Britain, CT, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 24% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,811 per month in New Britain, CT 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 New Britain, CT, 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 $95.0 in New Britain, CT and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in New Britain, CT, where all-in costs run around $2,541, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In New Britain, CT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,541 in New Britain, CT to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with New Britain, CT. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.