Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $4,324 in Somerville, MA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

209

Cost of Living Index in Somerville, MA
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Somerville, MA Living Index
152

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

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Somerville, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,324

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,324 per month in Somerville, MA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Somerville, MA $4,324
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $6,208 per month in Somerville, MA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Somerville, MA $6,208
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $8,093 per month in Somerville, MA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Somerville, MA $8,093
Chicago, IL $6,115

Somerville, MA costs about 38% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Somerville, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Somerville, MA by 219%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.45 $25.45

$20.65 $20.65

23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.6 $97.6

$90.2 $90.2

8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.53 $13.53

$12.94 $12.94

4.56%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$5.60 $5.60

-3.21%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.27 $2.27

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$6.98 $6.98

17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$8.83 $8.83

1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 $1.27

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.80 $3.80

7.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.30 $5.30

-0.94%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.76 $4.76

2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$13.96 $13.96

13.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.35 $14.35

$14.61 $14.61

-1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$18.77 $18.77

-7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$5.19 $5.19

28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.98 $1.98

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.93 $3.93

35.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$4.96 $4.96

33.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.76 $2.76

-22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.76 $2.76

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.22 $2.22

30.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.98 $2.98

-1.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 $13.45

$14.02 $14.02

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$15.28 $15.28

3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.58 $2.58

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.50 $3.50

20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.47 $2.47

-4.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 $90.1

$74.8 $74.8

20.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.34 $3.34

-23.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.43 $1.43

21.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.85 $27.85

$24.32 $24.32

14.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.40%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.63%

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

$244 $244

$193 $193

26.69%

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

$74.0 $74.0

$68.3 $68.3

8.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$61.3 $61.3

20.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 $105

$54.1 $54.1

93.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 $15.42

$17.74 $17.74

-13.08%

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

$1,840 $1,840

$1,652 $1,652

11.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-5.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.62 $48.62

$66.1 $66.1

-26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.89 $37.89

$51.2 $51.2

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 $100.0

$100 $100

-0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 $161

$141 $141

14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,974 $2,974

$2,446 $2,446

21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$1,678 $1,678

59.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,546 $4,546

$4,717 $4,717

-3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,426 $4,426

$2,795 $2,795

58.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,566 $7,566

$4,105 $4,105

84.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,632 $5,632

$2,650 $2,650

112.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,460 $5,460

$4,866 $4,866

12.21%

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 Somerville, MA: 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

Somerville, MA

$2.7K 61.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 37.1% $991

Groceries & Markets

Somerville, MA

$472 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.8% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Somerville, MA

$392 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 17.8% $70

Eating Out

Somerville, MA

$389 9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 11.6% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Somerville, MA

$156 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 3.2% $4.9

Sport & Entertainment

Somerville, MA

$136 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 34% $46

Getting Around

Somerville, MA

$111 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 14.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,974 in Somerville, MA 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 12% higher in Somerville, MA, 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 $98.0 in Somerville, MA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Somerville, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:30 8:30 AM

07:30 7:30 AM

1 h behind Somerville, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

75,754

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

Somerville, MA Chicago, IL 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Somerville, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,324 in Somerville, MA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 38% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,486 per month in Somerville, MA 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.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Somerville, MA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Somerville, MA 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 $4,324 in Somerville, MA 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 $4,324 in Somerville, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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