Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Westborough, MA: $2,573 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Westborough, MA
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Westborough, MA Living Index
147

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

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Westborough, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,573

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,573 per month in Westborough, MA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Westborough, MA $2,573
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,675 per month in Westborough, MA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Westborough, MA $3,675
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,776 per month in Westborough, MA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Westborough, MA $4,776
Chicago, IL $5,999

Westborough, MA is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Westborough, MA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Westborough, MA by 89%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$20.71 $20.71

-2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$89.2 $89.2

-14.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.95 $12.95

$13.19 $13.19

-1.82%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$5.66 $5.66

-6.18%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.64 $2.64

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.28 $2.28

12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$6.87 $6.87

-14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$8.84 $8.84

1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.25 $1.25

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.72 $3.72

16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.39 $5.39

-19.67%

Eggs

$6.47 $6.47

$4.74 $4.74

36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 $10.61

$13.84 $13.84

-23.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 $10.63

$14.40 $14.40

-26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.21 $19.21

$18.38 $18.38

4.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$5.22 $5.22

8.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.98 $1.98

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.06 $4.06

-17.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.97 $4.97

-39.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.67 $2.67

-17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.66 $2.66

-7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.24 $2.24

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.13 $3.13

-5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.79 $13.79

$13.82 $13.82

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.01 $17.01

$14.88 $14.88

14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.54 $2.54

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.51 $3.51

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.43 $2.43

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 $56.3

$73.5 $73.5

-23.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.18 $3.18

84.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.39 $1.39

15.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.20 $32.20

$25.03 $25.03

28.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.20 $1.20

-10.00%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.43%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.67%

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

$180 $180

$194 $194

-7.47%

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

$36.45 $36.45

$69.5 $69.5

-47.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$61.6 $61.6

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.79 $35.79

$47.90 $47.90

-25.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 $12.55

$17.81 $17.81

-29.53%

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

$2,104 $2,104

$1,794 $1,794

17.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-24.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.49 $38.49

$67.0 $67.0

-42.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.18 $16.18

$52.1 $52.1

-68.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$144 $144

-24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 $1,468

$2,526 $2,526

-41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 $1,294

$1,578 $1,578

-17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,788 $2,788

$4,738 $4,738

-41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 $1,922

$2,693 $2,693

-28.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,591 $2,591

$4,190 $4,190

-38.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,687 $2,687

$2,768 $2,768

-2.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Westborough, 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

Westborough, MA

$1.3K 50.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 21.9% $284

Groceries & Markets

Westborough, MA

$412 16%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.5% $35

Eating Out

Westborough, MA

$333 13%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3.5% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Westborough, MA

$276 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Westborough, MA

$119 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 38.2% $45

Getting Around

Westborough, MA

$78 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 19.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Westborough, MA

$61 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 37.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,468 in Westborough, 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 $76 in Westborough, MA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $447 – making Westborough, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Westborough, MA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:11 11:11 AM

10:11 10:11 AM

1 h behind Westborough, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,634

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Westborough, MA Chicago, IL 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Westborough, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,573 in Westborough, MA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,860 per month in Westborough, 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 Westborough, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,468 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $76 in Westborough, 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 Westborough, MA, where all-in costs run around $2,573, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Westborough, MA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,573 in Westborough, MA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Westborough, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 18% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.