Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Southbridge, MA: $2,655 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

120

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

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

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Southbridge, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,655

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,655 per month in Southbridge, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Southbridge, MA $2,655
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,672 per month in Southbridge, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Southbridge, MA $3,672
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,690 per month in Southbridge, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Southbridge, MA $4,690
Chicago, IL $5,999

Southbridge, MA is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Southbridge, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Southbridge, MA by 95%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.91 $11.91

$20.71 $20.71

-42.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$89.2 $89.2

-17.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$13.19 $13.19

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$5.66 $5.66

-10.60%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$2.64 $2.64

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.28 $2.28

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.87 $6.87

-11.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.84 $8.84

4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.25 $1.25

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.72 $3.72

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$5.39 $5.39

-20.22%

Eggs

$6.47 $6.47

$4.74 $4.74

36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 $10.40

$13.84 $13.84

-24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$14.40 $14.40

-26.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 $18.82

$18.38 $18.38

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$5.22 $5.22

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.06 $4.06

-18.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$4.97 $4.97

-36.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.67 $2.67

-16.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.66 $2.66

-8.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.24 $2.24

18.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.13 $3.13

-8.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 $13.53

$13.82 $13.82

-2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.07 $17.07

$14.88 $14.88

14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.54 $2.54

-25.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.51 $3.51

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.43 $2.43

-10.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.2 $52.2

$73.5 $73.5

-29.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.18 $3.18

91.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.39 $1.39

12.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 $29.10

$25.03 $25.03

16.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.20 $1.20

-10.83%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.28%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.45%

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

$182 $182

$194 $194

-6.56%

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

$37.05 $37.05

$69.5 $69.5

-46.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$61.6 $61.6

-3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.71 $40.71

$47.90 $47.90

-15.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 $12.51

$17.81 $17.81

-29.76%

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

$2,141 $2,141

$1,794 $1,794

19.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-24.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.02 $38.02

$67.0 $67.0

-43.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.58 $16.58

$52.1 $52.1

-68.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 $99.6

$102 $102

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$144 $144

-22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$2,526 $2,526

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 $1,438

$1,578 $1,578

-8.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 $2,722

$4,738 $4,738

-42.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 $1,991

$2,693 $2,693

-26.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,793 $2,793

$4,190 $4,190

-33.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,050 $2,050

$2,768 $2,768

-25.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Southbridge, 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

Southbridge, MA

$1.4K 54.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 9.7% $140

Groceries & Markets

Southbridge, MA

$413 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.3% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Southbridge, MA

$278 10.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 17% $47

Eating Out

Southbridge, MA

$265 10%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 30.1% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Southbridge, MA

$120 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 37% $44

Getting Around

Southbridge, MA

$75 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Southbridge, MA

$66 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 27% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,708 in Southbridge, 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 $74 in Southbridge, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $447 – making Southbridge, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Southbridge, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:03 7:03 PM

18:03 6:03 PM

1 h behind Southbridge, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,719

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Southbridge, MA Chicago, IL 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Southbridge, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,655 in Southbridge, MA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Southbridge, MA comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,982 per month in Southbridge, 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 Southbridge, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,708 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Southbridge, MA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,655 in Southbridge, MA and $3,037 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 $2,655 in Southbridge, MA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Southbridge, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 13% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.