Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Pittsfield, MA: $2,591 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

125

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

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

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Pittsfield, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,591

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,591 per month in Pittsfield, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pittsfield, MA $2,591
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,509 per month in Pittsfield, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pittsfield, MA $4,509
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,427 per month in Pittsfield, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pittsfield, MA $6,427
Chicago, IL $5,999

Pittsfield, MA is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Pittsfield, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Pittsfield, MA by 90%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 $17.68

$20.71 $20.71

-14.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 $95.8

$89.2 $89.2

7.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.52 $13.52

$13.19 $13.19

2.50%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$5.66 $5.66

-10.07%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.28 $2.28

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.87 $6.87

-26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$8.84 $8.84

-7.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.25 $1.25

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.72 $3.72

10.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$5.39 $5.39

2.78%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$4.74 $4.74

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$13.84 $13.84

-18.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.35 $14.35

$14.40 $14.40

-0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.72 $17.72

$18.38 $18.38

-3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.22 $5.22

24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.98 $1.98

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$4.06 $4.06

61.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.97 $4.97

9.05%

Potato (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$2.67 $2.67

150.19%

Onion (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.66 $2.66

67.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.24 $2.24

36.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.58 $13.58

$13.82 $13.82

-1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 $13.66

$14.88 $14.88

-8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.54 $2.54

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.51 $3.51

17.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.20 $1.20

-9.17%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.41%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.58%

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

$273 $273

$194 $194

40.33%

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

$39.34 $39.34

$69.5 $69.5

-43.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.0 $84.0

$61.6 $61.6

36.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 $39.65

$47.90 $47.90

-17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$17.81 $17.81

-19.93%

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

$1,829 $1,829

$1,794 $1,794

1.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-5.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$67.0 $67.0

-16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 $39.06

$52.1 $52.1

-25.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$102 $102

-22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$144 $144

-29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$2,526 $2,526

-37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 $1,260

$1,578 $1,578

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,517 $4,517

$4,738 $4,738

-4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,466 $3,466

$2,693 $2,693

28.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,002 $3,002

$4,190 $4,190

-28.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,037 $3,037

$2,768 $2,768

9.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Pittsfield, MA: 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

Pittsfield, MA

$1.3K 48.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 25.2% $318

Groceries & Markets

Pittsfield, MA

$435 * 16.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 2.7% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pittsfield, MA

$396 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 17.8% $71

Eating Out

Pittsfield, MA

$307 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 12.2% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Pittsfield, MA

$124 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 32.2% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Pittsfield, MA

$68 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 22.5% $15

Getting Around

Pittsfield, MA

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,575 in Pittsfield, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Pittsfield, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $435 in Pittsfield, MA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Pittsfield, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pittsfield, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:04 5:04 AM

04:04 4:04 AM

1 h behind Pittsfield, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,927

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

Pittsfield, MA Chicago, IL 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Pittsfield, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,591 in Pittsfield, MA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Pittsfield, MA comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,887 per month in Pittsfield, MA 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 Pittsfield, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,575 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Pittsfield, 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 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pittsfield, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,591, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Pittsfield, MA 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 $2,591 in Pittsfield, MA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.