Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,317 in Taunton, MA, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Taunton, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

160

Cost of Living Index in Taunton, MA
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Taunton, MA Living Index
146

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

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Taunton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,317

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,317 per month in Taunton, MA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Taunton, MA $3,317
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,935 per month in Taunton, MA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Taunton, MA $4,935
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $6,553 per month in Taunton, MA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Taunton, MA $6,553
Chicago, IL $6,019

Taunton, MA costs about 8% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Taunton, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Taunton, MA by 145%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$20.39 $20.39

-0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$88.6 $88.6

23.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 $12.64

$12.85 $12.85

-1.63%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$5.78 $5.78

-11.59%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$2.74 $2.74

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.26 $2.26

22.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$6.88 $6.88

14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$9.24 $9.24

-11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.26 $1.26

-6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.55 $3.55

11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$5.38 $5.38

-2.04%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$4.55 $4.55

6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$13.65 $13.65

13.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$14.07 $14.07

-0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$18.06 $18.06

8.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$5.16 $5.16

29.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.98 $1.98

-10.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.88 $3.88

39.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$4.83 $4.83

27.33%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.81 $2.81

55.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.67 $2.67

49.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.07 $2.07

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.03 $3.03

-40.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.18 $13.18

$13.90 $13.90

-5.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 $15.55

$15.05 $15.05

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.63 $2.63

-14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.45 $3.45

12.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.43 $2.43

-37.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.93 $39.93

$75.3 $75.3

-46.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.17 $3.17

28.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.70 $1.70

10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 $27.58

$24.90 $24.90

10.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.28 $1.28

-19.53%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.94%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.63%

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

$279 $279

$192 $192

45.43%

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

$58.8 $58.8

$69.6 $69.6

-15.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.7 $86.7

$62.2 $62.2

39.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.02 $33.02

$47.79 $47.79

-30.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.64 $14.64

$17.83 $17.83

-17.89%

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

$1,812 $1,812

$1,815 $1,815

-0.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.8K $44.8K

$40.6K $40.6K

10.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$66.2 $66.2

-12.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 $38.41

$51.4 $51.4

-25.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$103 $103

-22.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$143 $143

-28.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$2,531 $2,531

-36.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 $1,840

$1,621 $1,621

13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,714 $2,714

$4,828 $4,828

-43.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,241 $3,241

$2,734 $2,734

18.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 $3,045

$4,163 $4,163

-26.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,502 $3,502

$2,723 $2,723

28.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,130 $4,130

$4,924 $4,924

-16.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.78

-2.06%

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

Last update for Taunton, MA: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Taunton, MA

$1.8K 55.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 11.9% $219

Groceries & Markets

Taunton, MA

$465 14%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 5.5% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taunton, MA

$425 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 23.8% $101

Eating Out

Taunton, MA

$340 10.3%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 1.1% $3.6

Clothing & Footwear

Taunton, MA

$125 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 30.5% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Taunton, MA

$62 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 33.9% $21

Getting Around

Taunton, MA

$59 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 62.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Taunton, MA versus $2,531 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 19% 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 $109 in Taunton, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $465 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Taunton, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:32 7:32 AM

06:32 6:32 AM

1 h behind Taunton, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,074

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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Between locations

Taunton, MA Chicago, IL 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Taunton, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,317 in Taunton, MA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,975 per month in Taunton, MA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taunton, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,603 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Taunton, MA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Taunton, MA and $89 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 $3,317 in Taunton, MA and $3,072 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,317 in Taunton, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.