Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waldorf, MD and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Waldorf, MD: $2,887 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

139

Cost of Living Index in Waldorf, MD
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Waldorf, MD Living Index
147

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

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Waldorf, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,887

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,887 per month in Waldorf, MD vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waldorf, MD $2,887
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,125 per month in Waldorf, MD vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waldorf, MD $4,125
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,363 per month in Waldorf, MD vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waldorf, MD $5,363
Chicago, IL $5,999

Waldorf, MD is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Waldorf, MD and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waldorf, MD by 112%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 $13.75

$20.71 $20.71

-33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$89.2 $89.2

-17.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 $7.69

$13.19 $13.19

-41.70%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$5.66 $5.66

-13.60%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$2.64 $2.64

-23.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.28 $2.28

-19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 $3.42

$6.87 $6.87

-50.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 $5.09

$8.84 $8.84

-42.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.25 $1.25

-43.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.72 $3.72

-6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$5.39 $5.39

24.86%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$4.74 $4.74

-42.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.84 $13.84

17.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.90 $8.90

$14.40 $14.40

-38.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 $19.15

$18.38 $18.38

4.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$5.22 $5.22

-12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.98 $1.98

-17.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.06 $4.06

57.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.97 $4.97

6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.67 $2.67

10.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.66 $2.66

-24.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.24 $2.24

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.13 $3.13

-38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.43 $9.43

$13.82 $13.82

-31.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.88 $14.88

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.51 $3.51

5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.43 $2.43

3.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.53 $35.53

$73.5 $73.5

-51.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.18 $3.18

9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 $1.20

-18.33%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.96%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.18%

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

$269 $269

$194 $194

38.52%

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

$48.60 $48.60

$69.5 $69.5

-30.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$61.6 $61.6

9.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 $40.72

$47.90 $47.90

-14.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 $17.20

$17.81 $17.81

-3.43%

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

$2,220 $2,220

$1,794 $1,794

23.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$59.6K $59.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

86.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.08 $47.08

$67.0 $67.0

-29.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.24 $36.24

$52.1 $52.1

-30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$102 $102

8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$2,526 $2,526

-29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$1,578 $1,578

1.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 $1,887

$4,738 $4,738

-60.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$2,693 $2,693

-3.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,153 $4,153

$4,931 $4,931

-15.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Waldorf, MD: 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

Waldorf, MD

$1.6K 55.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 1.1% $18

Groceries & Markets

Waldorf, MD

$406 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.3% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waldorf, MD

$385 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 15.5% $60

Eating Out

Waldorf, MD

$234 8.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 47.1% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Waldorf, MD

$142 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 15.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Waldorf, MD

$75 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 11.2% $8.4

Getting Around

Waldorf, MD

$49 * 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 90.3% $44

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,788 in Waldorf, MD 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 19% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Waldorf, MD versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $447 – making Waldorf, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waldorf, MD

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:31 12:31 PM

11:31 11:31 AM

1 h behind Waldorf, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,752

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Waldorf, MD Chicago, IL 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Waldorf, MD
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

Waldorf, MD vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,887 in Waldorf, MD, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,330 per month in Waldorf, MD 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 Waldorf, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,788 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $74 in Waldorf, MD and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,887 in Waldorf, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Waldorf, MD. 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.