Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $4,257 in Waltham, MA, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

206

Cost of Living Index in Waltham, MA
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Waltham, MA Living Index
152

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

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Waltham, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,257

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,257 per month in Waltham, MA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waltham, MA $4,257
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $6,472 per month in Waltham, MA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waltham, MA $6,472
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $8,686 per month in Waltham, MA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waltham, MA $8,686
Chicago, IL $6,115

Waltham, MA costs about 36% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Waltham, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waltham, MA by 214%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.02 $25.02

$20.65 $20.65

21.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.7 $95.7

$90.2 $90.2

6.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$12.94 $12.94

-6.03%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$5.60 $5.60

-3.75%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.27 $2.27

-2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.98 $6.98

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$8.83 $8.83

-8.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.27 $1.27

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.80 $3.80

8.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.30 $5.30

3.58%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$4.76 $4.76

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$13.96 $13.96

-20.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$14.61 $14.61

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 $17.58

$18.77 $18.77

-6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$5.19 $5.19

31.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.98 $1.98

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.93 $3.93

41.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$4.96 $4.96

10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.76 $2.76

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.76 $2.76

48.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.22 $2.22

36.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.98 $2.98

-3.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.05 $13.05

$14.02 $14.02

-6.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 $13.39

$15.28 $15.28

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.58 $2.58

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.50 $3.50

16.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$74.8 $74.8

-20.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.34 $3.34

-21.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.43 $1.43

20.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.03 $28.03

$24.32 $24.32

15.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.26 $1.26

-17.46%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.14%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.36%

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

$315 $315

$193 $193

63.68%

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

$55.7 $55.7

$68.3 $68.3

-18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$61.3 $61.3

40.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$254 $254

$54.1 $54.1

370.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 $14.44

$17.74 $17.74

-18.60%

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

$1,831 $1,831

$1,652 $1,652

10.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$31.1K $31.1K

-4.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$66.1 $66.1

-13.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$51.2 $51.2

-26.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 $80.9

$100 $100

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$141 $141

-28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$2,446 $2,446

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 $2,502

$1,678 $1,678

49.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,437 $5,437

$4,717 $4,717

15.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,918 $4,918

$2,795 $2,795

75.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,317 $5,317

$4,866 $4,866

9.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Waltham, MA: 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

Waltham, MA

$2.5K 58.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 33% $825

Groceries & Markets

Waltham, MA

$457 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 1.7% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waltham, MA

$457 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 29.5% $135

Eating Out

Waltham, MA

$362 8.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 5.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Waltham, MA

$283 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 68.4% $194

Clothing & Footwear

Waltham, MA

$124 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29.8% $37

Getting Around

Waltham, MA

$71 * 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 34.9% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,525 in Waltham, MA 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 9% higher in Waltham, MA, 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 $96.0 in Waltham, MA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waltham, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

05:50 5:50 AM

1 h behind Waltham, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,636

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

Waltham, MA Chicago, IL 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Waltham, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,257 in Waltham, MA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 36% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,385 per month in Waltham, MA 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.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Waltham, MA, 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 $96.0 in Waltham, MA 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 $4,257 in Waltham, MA 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. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $4,257 in Waltham, MA. 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, Waltham, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.