Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toledo, OH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Toledo, OH: $1,899 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Toledo, OH
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Toledo, OH Living Index
147

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

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Toledo, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,899

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,899 per month in Toledo, OH vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toledo, OH $1,899
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Toledo, OH vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toledo, OH $2,892
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,885 per month in Toledo, OH vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toledo, OH $3,885
Chicago, IL $5,999

Toledo, OH is about 37% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Toledo, OH and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Toledo, OH by 40%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$20.71 $20.71

-5.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 $66.3

$89.2 $89.2

-25.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 $9.87

$13.19 $13.19

-25.17%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$5.66 $5.66

-6.54%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$2.64 $2.64

-19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.28 $2.28

-30.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$6.87 $6.87

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 $5.07

$8.84 $8.84

-42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.25 $1.25

-24.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.72 $3.72

-10.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.39 $5.39

-23.01%

Eggs

$3.32 $3.32

$4.74 $4.74

-29.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$13.84 $13.84

-19.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 $10.03

$14.40 $14.40

-30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 $16.53

$18.38 $18.38

-10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.22 $5.22

-34.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.98 $1.98

-26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.06 $4.06

9.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.97 $4.97

-22.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.67 $2.67

-3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.66 $2.66

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.24 $2.24

16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.13 $3.13

-29.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$13.82 $13.82

-28.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 $13.44

$14.88 $14.88

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.54 $2.54

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.51 $3.51

-13.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.43 $2.43

-36.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.57 $45.57

$73.5 $73.5

-38.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.18 $3.18

-23.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.39 $1.39

76.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.64 $39.64

$25.03 $25.03

58.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-11.30%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.93%

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

$181 $181

$194 $194

-6.91%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$69.5 $69.5

-11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$61.6 $61.6

5.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.19 $24.19

$47.90 $47.90

-49.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.71 $19.71

$27.34 $27.34

-27.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 $12.09

$17.81 $17.81

-32.12%

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

$1,688 $1,688

$1,794 $1,794

-5.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K $14.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-55.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 $45.52

$67.0 $67.0

-32.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 $39.79

$52.1 $52.1

-23.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 $71.1

$102 $102

-29.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 $78.5

$144 $144

-45.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 $955

$2,526 $2,526

-62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 $710

$1,578 $1,578

-54.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 $1,193

$4,738 $4,738

-74.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$2,693 $2,693

-52.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,768 $1,768

$4,190 $4,190

-57.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,303 $1,303

$2,768 $2,768

-52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 $3,434

$4,931 $4,931

-30.36%

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 Toledo, OH: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Toledo, OH

$710 37.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 122% $868

Groceries & Markets

Toledo, OH

$360 19%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 24.3% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toledo, OH

$308 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.8% $18

Eating Out

Toledo, OH

$300 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Toledo, OH

$106 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 55.2% $58

Getting Around

Toledo, OH

$66 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 40.6% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Toledo, OH

$48 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 72.6% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Toledo, OH 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.

Salaries run about 44% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $66 in Toledo, OH versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $447 – making Toledo, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Toledo, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:05 10:05 AM

09:05 9:05 AM

1 h behind Toledo, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

268,508

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Toledo, OH Chicago, IL 340 km

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Toledo, OH
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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

Toledo, OH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,899 in Toledo, OH, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 60% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,848 per month in Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $955 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chicago, IL, 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 $66 in Toledo, OH and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Toledo, OH, where all-in costs run around $1,899, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Toledo, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toledo, OH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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