Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Providence, RI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,394 in Providence, RI, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Providence, RI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

165

Cost of Living Index in Providence, RI
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Providence, RI Living Index
152

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

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Providence, RI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,394

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,394 per month in Providence, RI vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Providence, RI $3,394
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,649 per month in Providence, RI vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Providence, RI $4,649
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,903 per month in Providence, RI vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Providence, RI $5,903
Chicago, IL $6,115

Providence, RI costs about 8% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Providence, RI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Providence, RI by 150%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 $18.01

$20.65 $20.65

-12.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$90.2 $90.2

6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 $13.64

$12.94 $12.94

5.41%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$5.60 $5.60

-1.79%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$2.64 $2.64

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.27 $2.27

-13.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$6.98 $6.98

-27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.83 $8.83

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.27 $1.27

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.80 $3.80

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.30 $5.30

0.94%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.76 $4.76

3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$13.96 $13.96

-18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.61 $14.61

-1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.98 $17.98

$18.77 $18.77

-4.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.19 $5.19

-7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.98 $1.98

-30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$3.93 $3.93

41.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.96 $4.96

-5.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.76 $2.76

19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.76 $2.76

30.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.22 $2.22

4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.98 $2.98

-32.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.46 $13.46

$14.02 $14.02

-3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 $13.30

$15.28 $15.28

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.58 $2.58

-20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.50 $3.50

16.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.47 $2.47

-16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.9 $70.9

$74.8 $74.8

-5.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.34 $3.34

51.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.43 $1.43

-1.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 $30.45

$24.32 $24.32

25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.26 $1.26

-13.49%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.55%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.07%

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

$313 $313

$193 $193

62.63%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$68.3 $68.3

3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 $83.6

$61.3 $61.3

36.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 $56.9

$54.1 $54.1

5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.8 $60.8

$27.92 $27.92

117.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.60 $14.60

$17.74 $17.74

-17.70%

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

$1,477 $1,477

$1,652 $1,652

-10.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-45.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$66.1 $66.1

-18.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.95 $38.95

$51.2 $51.2

-23.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$100 $100

-19.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$141 $141

-28.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 $2,440

$2,446 $2,446

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$1,678 $1,678

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,174 $3,174

$4,717 $4,717

-32.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,602 $2,602

$2,795 $2,795

-6.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,746 $3,746

$4,105 $4,105

-8.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,316 $3,316

$2,650 $2,650

25.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,773 $3,773

$4,866 $4,866

-22.46%

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 Providence, RI: 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

Providence, RI

$1.9K 55.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 11.6% $219

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Providence, RI

$467 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 31.1% $145

Groceries & Markets

Providence, RI

$417 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 7.7% $32

Eating Out

Providence, RI

$312 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 10.1% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Providence, RI

$123 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 31.1% $38

Getting Around

Providence, RI

$91 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 4.2% $3.8

Sport & Entertainment

Providence, RI

$86 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 4.1% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,440 in Providence, RI 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 29% 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 $96.0 in Providence, RI versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $417 in Providence, RI vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Providence, RI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Providence, RI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

07:31 7:31 AM

1 h behind Providence, RI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

179,472

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Providence, RI Chicago, IL 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Providence, RI
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

Providence, RI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,394 in Providence, RI, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,091 per month in Providence, RI 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Providence, RI – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Providence, RI and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,394 in Providence, RI and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,394 in Providence, RI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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