Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Severn, MD and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Severn, MD: $2,620 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Severn, MD
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Severn, MD Living Index
147

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

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Severn, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,620

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Severn, MD vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Severn, MD $2,620
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,893 per month in Severn, MD vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Severn, MD $3,893
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,165 per month in Severn, MD vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Severn, MD $5,165
Chicago, IL $5,999

Severn, MD is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Severn, MD and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Severn, MD by 93%, 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

$96.2 $96.2

$89.2 $89.2

7.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 $10.63

$13.19 $13.19

-19.41%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.66 $5.66

-4.95%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$2.64 $2.64

13.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.28 $2.28

10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$6.87 $6.87

-0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$8.84 $8.84

-10.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.25 $1.25

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.72 $3.72

7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.39 $5.39

-22.08%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.74 $4.74

1.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.93 $12.93

$13.84 $13.84

-6.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$14.40 $14.40

-10.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.62 $18.62

$18.38 $18.38

1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$5.22 $5.22

10.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.98 $1.98

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.06 $4.06

17.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.97 $4.97

0.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.67 $2.67

0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.66 $2.66

5.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.13 $3.13

-25.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 $9.47

$13.82 $13.82

-31.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 $15.41

$14.88 $14.88

3.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.54 $2.54

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.51 $3.51

-19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.0 $68.0

$73.5 $73.5

-7.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.18 $3.18

-44.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.18 $24.18

$25.03 $25.03

-3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.66%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.54%

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

$161 $161

$194 $194

-17.27%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$69.5 $69.5

-26.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$61.6 $61.6

-1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 $41.54

$47.90 $47.90

-13.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.84 $14.84

$17.81 $17.81

-16.68%

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

$1,608 $1,608

$1,794 $1,794

-10.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K $34.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

8.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$67.0 $67.0

-20.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 $63.0

$52.1 $52.1

20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 $94.2

$102 $102

-7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$144 $144

-22.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$2,526 $2,526

-37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 $1,308

$1,578 $1,578

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 $2,481

$4,738 $4,738

-47.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 $2,120

$2,693 $2,693

-21.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,742 $2,742

$4,190 $4,190

-34.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,384 $2,384

$2,768 $2,768

-13.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Severn, MD: 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

Severn, MD

$1.3K 49.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 20.6% $270

Groceries & Markets

Severn, MD

$429 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4.2% $18

Eating Out

Severn, MD

$310 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Severn, MD

$273 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 19.4% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Severn, MD

$145 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 13.2% $19

Getting Around

Severn, MD

$84 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 10.8% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Severn, MD

$71 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,581 in Severn, MD 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 Severn, MD versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $429 in Severn, MD vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Severn, MD wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Severn, MD

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:20 4:20 PM

15:20 3:20 PM

1 h behind Severn, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,231

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Severn, MD Chicago, IL 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Severn, MD
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

Severn, MD vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,620 in Severn, MD, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Severn, MD comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,931 per month in Severn, MD 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 Severn, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,581 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Severn, MD and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,620 in Severn, MD 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 Severn, MD – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.