Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stamford, CT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,732 in Stamford, CT, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Stamford, CT outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

180

Cost of Living Index in Stamford, CT
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Stamford, CT Living Index
152

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

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Stamford, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,732

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,732 per month in Stamford, CT vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Stamford, CT $3,732
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,706 per month in Stamford, CT vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Stamford, CT $5,706
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $7,679 per month in Stamford, CT vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Stamford, CT $7,679
Chicago, IL $6,115

Stamford, CT costs about 19% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Stamford, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Stamford, CT by 175%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$20.65 $20.65

-4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$90.2 $90.2

-17.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$12.94 $12.94

-21.48%

Cappuccino

$4.21 $4.21

$5.60 $5.60

-24.82%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.64 $2.64

2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.27 $2.27

-5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 $7.59

$6.98 $6.98

8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$8.83 $8.83

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.27 $1.27

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.80 $3.80

33.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$5.30 $5.30

28.11%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$4.76 $4.76

11.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$13.96 $13.96

9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 $10.61

$14.61 $14.61

-27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.11 $17.11

$18.77 $18.77

-8.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.19 $5.19

-15.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.98 $1.98

13.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.93 $3.93

-16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$4.96 $4.96

-36.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.76 $2.76

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.76 $2.76

-11.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.22 $2.22

24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.98 $2.98

-4.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 $13.68

$14.02 $14.02

-2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.11 $17.11

$15.28 $15.28

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.58 $2.58

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.50 $3.50

-18.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.47 $2.47

57.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.21 $30.21

$74.8 $74.8

-59.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 $8.11

$3.34 $3.34

142.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.27%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.59%

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

$177 $177

$193 $193

-8.35%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$68.3 $68.3

-17.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 $58.4

$61.3 $61.3

-4.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 $107

$54.1 $54.1

97.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 $21.11

$27.92 $27.92

-24.39%

Cinema Ticket

$19.63 $19.63

$17.74 $17.74

10.65%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$1,652 $1,652

23.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

28.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.81 $38.81

$66.1 $66.1

-41.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.02 $16.02

$51.2 $51.2

-68.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$100 $100

-12.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$141 $141

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$2,446 $2,446

16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 $2,359

$1,678 $1,678

40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,103 $5,103

$4,717 $4,717

8.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,620 $4,620

$2,795 $2,795

65.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,274 $4,274

$4,105 $4,105

4.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,670 $3,670

$2,650 $2,650

38.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,504 $5,504

$4,866 $4,866

13.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

6.81

-10.13%

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

Last update for Stamford, CT: 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

Stamford, CT

$2.4K 63.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 28.9% $681

Groceries & Markets

Stamford, CT

$434 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 3.5% $15

Eating Out

Stamford, CT

$311 8.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 10.3% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stamford, CT

$291 7.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 10.7% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Stamford, CT

$146 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 38.7% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Stamford, CT

$136 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 18.6% $25

Getting Around

Stamford, CT

$54 * 1.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 76.5% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,855 in Stamford, CT 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 13% higher in Stamford, CT, 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 $74.0 in Stamford, CT versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $449 – making Stamford, CT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Stamford, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:40 11:40 AM

10:40 10:40 AM

1 h behind Stamford, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

129,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Stamford, CT Chicago, IL 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Stamford, CT
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

Stamford, CT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,732 in Stamford, CT, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,598 per month in Stamford, CT 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 4% cheaper in Stamford, CT – 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 $74.0 in Stamford, CT 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 $3,732 in Stamford, CT 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. Stamford, CT has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,732 in Stamford, CT. 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, Stamford, CT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.