Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Parma, OH: $2,221 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

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

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

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Parma, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,221

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,221 per month in Parma, OH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Parma, OH $2,221
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,303 per month in Parma, OH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Parma, OH $3,303
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,385 per month in Parma, OH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Parma, OH $4,385
Chicago, IL $5,999

Parma, OH is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Parma, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Parma, OH by 63%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 $18.26

$20.71 $20.71

-11.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 $62.5

$89.2 $89.2

-29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 $11.39

$13.19 $13.19

-13.65%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.66 $5.66

-0.53%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.28 $2.28

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$6.87 $6.87

-11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 $7.80

$8.84 $8.84

-11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.25 $1.25

-35.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.72 $3.72

-12.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.39 $5.39

-19.29%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$4.74 $4.74

-17.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$13.84 $13.84

-4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.35 $12.35

$14.40 $14.40

-14.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.15 $18.15

$18.38 $18.38

-1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.22 $5.22

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.06 $4.06

0.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$4.97 $4.97

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.67 $2.67

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.66 $2.66

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.13 $3.13

-31.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 $9.92

$13.82 $13.82

-28.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.88 $14.88

2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.54 $2.54

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.51 $3.51

-2.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.43 $2.43

1.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.18 $3.18

-12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.39 $1.39

14.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.82 $23.82

$25.03 $25.03

-4.83%

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

-2.90%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.14%

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

$211 $211

$194 $194

8.72%

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

$58.8 $58.8

$69.5 $69.5

-15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$61.6 $61.6

12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.13 $10.13

$47.90 $47.90

-78.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$17.81 $17.81

-32.85%

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

$1,016 $1,016

$1,794 $1,794

-43.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K $18.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-41.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$67.0 $67.0

-12.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 $38.72

$52.1 $52.1

-25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$102 $102

-3.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 $952

$2,526 $2,526

-62.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 $970

$1,578 $1,578

-38.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$4,738 $4,738

-68.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,696 $1,696

$2,693 $2,693

-37.00%

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)

$3,879 $3,879

$4,931 $4,931

-21.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.81

-4.70%

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

Last update for Parma, 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

Parma, OH

$970 43.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 62.6% $608

Groceries & Markets

Parma, OH

$403 18.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Parma, OH

$340 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4.2% $14

Eating Out

Parma, OH

$312 14%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.6% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Parma, OH

$141 6.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 16.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Parma, OH

$34 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 145% $49

Getting Around

Parma, OH

$21 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 353% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Parma, 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 27% 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 $63 in Parma, OH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $447 – making Parma, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Parma, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

05:08 5:08 AM

1 h behind Parma, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,982

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Parma, OH Chicago, IL 490 km

From you

Parma, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,221 in Parma, OH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Parma, OH comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,331 per month in Parma, 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 Parma, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $952 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Parma, 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 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,221 in Parma, OH 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 Parma, OH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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