Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between West Hartford, CT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,468 in West Hartford, CT, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

166

Cost of Living Index in West Hartford, CT
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West Hartford, CT Living Index
147

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

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West Hartford, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,468

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,468 per month in West Hartford, CT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Hartford, CT $3,468
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,084 per month in West Hartford, CT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Hartford, CT $5,084
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,701 per month in West Hartford, CT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Hartford, CT $6,701
Chicago, IL $5,999

West Hartford, CT costs about 14% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both West Hartford, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – West Hartford, CT by 155%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.97 $27.97

$20.71 $20.71

35.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$89.2 $89.2

11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.17 $13.17

$13.19 $13.19

-0.15%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$5.66 $5.66

-6.71%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.64 $2.64

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.28 $2.28

-9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.83 $6.83

$6.87 $6.87

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.36 $10.36

$8.84 $8.84

17.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.25 $1.25

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.72 $3.72

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.13 $7.13

$5.39 $5.39

32.28%

Eggs

$5.36 $5.36

$4.74 $4.74

13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.03 $18.03

$13.84 $13.84

30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.15 $16.15

$14.40 $14.40

12.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$18.38 $18.38

-4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.22 $5.22

-5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.98 $1.98

-8.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.06 $4.06

32.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.97 $4.97

-7.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.67 $2.67

19.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.66 $2.66

39.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.24 $2.24

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.13 $3.13

-33.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.55 $13.55

$13.82 $13.82

-1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 $16.19

$14.88 $14.88

8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.54 $2.54

-18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.51 $3.51

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.43 $2.43

-26.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 $61.2

$73.5 $73.5

-16.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.18 $3.18

60.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.39 $1.39

-35.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$25.03 $25.03

19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.20 $1.20

-8.33%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.09%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.42%

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

$209 $209

$194 $194

7.25%

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

$69.8 $69.8

$69.5 $69.5

0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.9 $88.9

$61.6 $61.6

44.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.94 $27.94

$47.90 $47.90

-41.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.64 $17.64

$27.34 $27.34

-35.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$17.81 $17.81

-15.05%

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

$1,523 $1,523

$1,794 $1,794

-15.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K $28.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-10.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$67.0 $67.0

-19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 $39.14

$52.1 $52.1

-24.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$144 $144

-25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,356 $2,356

$2,526 $2,526

-6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 $1,959

$1,578 $1,578

24.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$4,738 $4,738

-16.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,270 $3,270

$2,693 $2,693

21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,603 $2,603

$4,190 $4,190

-37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,562 $2,562

$2,768 $2,768

-7.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,076 $6,076

$4,931 $4,931

23.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.81

-3.67%

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

Last update for West Hartford, CT: 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

West Hartford, CT

$2K 56.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 19.4% $381

Groceries & Markets

West Hartford, CT

$471 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 5% $24

Eating Out

West Hartford, CT

$400 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 13.8% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

West Hartford, CT

$367 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 11.3% $42

Clothing & Footwear

West Hartford, CT

$135 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 21.6% $29

Getting Around

West Hartford, CT

$78 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 20% $16

Sport & Entertainment

West Hartford, CT

$58 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 43.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,356 in West Hartford, CT 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 23% higher in West Hartford, CT. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in West Hartford, CT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $471 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 West Hartford, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:27 9:27 PM

20:27 8:27 PM

1 h behind West Hartford, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,083

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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West Hartford, CT Chicago, IL 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

West Hartford, CT
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,468 in West Hartford, CT, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,202 per month in West Hartford, CT and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,356 in West Hartford, CT and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 5% more in West Hartford, CT, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in West Hartford, CT 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 $3,468 in West Hartford, CT and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,468 in West Hartford, CT. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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