Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Willimantic, CT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Willimantic, CT: $2,613 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.

125

Cost of Living Index in Willimantic, CT
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Willimantic, CT Living Index
147

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

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Willimantic, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,613

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,613 per month in Willimantic, CT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Willimantic, CT $2,613
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,961 per month in Willimantic, CT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Willimantic, CT $3,961
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,309 per month in Willimantic, CT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Willimantic, CT $5,309
Chicago, IL $5,999

Willimantic, CT is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Willimantic, CT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Willimantic, CT by 92%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.55 $27.55

$20.71 $20.71

33.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$89.2 $89.2

33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$13.19 $13.19

-10.08%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$5.66 $5.66

-9.72%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$2.64 $2.64

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.28 $2.28

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.87 $6.87

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.84 $8.84

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.25 $1.25

-27.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.72 $3.72

-11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.39 $5.39

-58.44%

Eggs

$2.46 $2.46

$4.74 $4.74

-48.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$13.84 $13.84

-16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$14.40 $14.40

-0.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 $16.00

$18.38 $18.38

-12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$5.22 $5.22

25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.98 $1.98

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$4.06 $4.06

-6.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.43 $7.43

$4.97 $4.97

49.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.67 $2.67

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.66 $2.66

20.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.24 $2.24

-34.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 $0.96

$3.13 $3.13

-69.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.18 $13.18

$13.82 $13.82

-4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.88 $14.88

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.54 $2.54

16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.51 $3.51

-49.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.43 $2.43

-16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 $56.8

$73.5 $73.5

-22.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.18 $3.18

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.39 $1.39

23.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.79 $27.79

$25.03 $25.03

11.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.20 $1.20

-10.00%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.30%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.14%

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

$223 $223

$194 $194

14.81%

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

$55.1 $55.1

$69.5 $69.5

-20.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.76 $22.76

$61.6 $61.6

-63.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.41 $45.41

$47.90 $47.90

-5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$8.79 $8.79

$17.81 $17.81

-50.65%

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

$791 $791

$1,794 $1,794

-55.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K $36.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

13.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.40 $49.40

$67.0 $67.0

-26.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 $79.4

$102 $102

-21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 $98.9

$144 $144

-31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$2,526 $2,526

-58.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 $1,260

$1,578 $1,578

-20.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$4,738 $4,738

-70.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 $2,081

$2,693 $2,693

-22.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,918 $2,918

$4,190 $4,190

-30.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 $2,153

$2,768 $2,768

-22.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,014 $3,014

$4,931 $4,931

-38.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

6.81

-10.13%

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

Last update for Willimantic, 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

Willimantic, CT

$1.3K 48.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 25.3% $318

Eating Out

Willimantic, CT

$395 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 12.7% $50

Groceries & Markets

Willimantic, CT

$392 15%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 14.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Willimantic, CT

$301 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.1% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Willimantic, CT

$126 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 30.2% $38

Getting Around

Willimantic, CT

$76 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 22.6% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Willimantic, CT

$63 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 32.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in Willimantic, 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 64% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in Willimantic, CT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Willimantic, CT vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Willimantic, CT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Willimantic, CT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:11 6:11 PM

17:11 5:11 PM

1 h behind Willimantic, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,737

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

Willimantic, CT Chicago, IL 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Willimantic, CT
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,613 in Willimantic, CT, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Willimantic, CT comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,919 per month in Willimantic, CT 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 Willimantic, CT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,038 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in Willimantic, CT and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,613 in Willimantic, CT and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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