Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between West Springfield, MA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in West Springfield, MA: $2,608 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in West Springfield, MA
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West Springfield, MA Living Index
147

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

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West Springfield, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,608

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,608 per month in West Springfield, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Springfield, MA $2,608
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,854 per month in West Springfield, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Springfield, MA $3,854
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,099 per month in West Springfield, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Springfield, MA $5,099
Chicago, IL $5,999

West Springfield, MA is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both West Springfield, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – West Springfield, MA by 92%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.75 $20.75

$20.71 $20.71

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 $77.6

$89.2 $89.2

-12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$13.19 $13.19

0.15%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$5.66 $5.66

-9.01%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.64 $2.64

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.28 $2.28

-10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 $5.58

$6.87 $6.87

-18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 $8.29

$8.84 $8.84

-6.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.25 $1.25

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.72 $3.72

-1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.39 $5.39

-18.92%

Eggs

$4.22 $4.22

$4.74 $4.74

-10.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 $12.67

$13.84 $13.84

-8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$14.40 $14.40

-18.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$18.38 $18.38

-5.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.22 $5.22

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.06 $4.06

3.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.97 $4.97

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.67 $2.67

2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.66 $2.66

10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.24 $2.24

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.13 $3.13

-26.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$13.82 $13.82

-28.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$14.88 $14.88

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.54 $2.54

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.51 $3.51

6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.43 $2.43

-15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$73.5 $73.5

-17.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.18 $3.18

9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.39 $1.39

30.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.50 $31.50

$25.03 $25.03

25.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.20 $1.20

-9.17%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.19%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.56%

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

$199 $199

$194 $194

2.30%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$69.5 $69.5

-15.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$61.6 $61.6

14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.08 $40.08

$47.90 $47.90

-16.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 $14.12

$17.81 $17.81

-20.72%

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

$1,567 $1,567

$1,794 $1,794

-12.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-25.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$67.0 $67.0

-21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 $40.53

$52.1 $52.1

-22.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$102 $102

-11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$144 $144

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$2,526 $2,526

-38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 $1,263

$1,578 $1,578

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,528 $2,528

$4,738 $4,738

-46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 $2,131

$2,693 $2,693

-20.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,780 $2,780

$4,190 $4,190

-33.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,321 $2,321

$2,768 $2,768

-16.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for West Springfield, MA: October 25, 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 Springfield, MA

$1.3K 48.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 25% $315

Groceries & Markets

West Springfield, MA

$404 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.8% $44

Eating Out

West Springfield, MA

$331 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4.3% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

West Springfield, MA

$328 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.7% $2.3

Clothing & Footwear

West Springfield, MA

$134 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 22.5% $30

Getting Around

West Springfield, MA

$81 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 15.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

West Springfield, MA

$68 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 22.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,543 in West Springfield, MA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in West Springfield, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $447 – making West Springfield, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 West Springfield, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:59 1:59 PM

12:59 12:59 PM

1 h behind West Springfield, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,391

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

West Springfield, MA Chicago, IL 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

West Springfield, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,608 in West Springfield, MA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,912 per month in West Springfield, MA 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 West Springfield, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,543 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $78 in West Springfield, MA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in West Springfield, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,608, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In West Springfield, MA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, West Springfield, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 16% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.