Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and Chicago, IL 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Chicago, IL are 5.7% lower than in Boston, MA (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Chicago, IL are 11.1% lower than in Boston, MA | |
| Rent Prices in Chicago, IL are 18.3% lower than in Boston, MA | |
| Restaurant Prices in Chicago, IL are 2.1% higher than in Boston, MA | |
| Groceries Prices in Chicago, IL are 6.8% lower than in Boston, MA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Chicago, IL is 1.3% higher than in Boston, MA | |
Restaurants | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 22.50 $ | 25.00 $ | +11.1 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 $ | 100.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 12.00 $ | 12.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 8.00 $ | 7.50 $ | -6.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 10.00 $ | 8.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.62 $ | 5.21 $ | -7.2 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.86 $ | 2.99 $ | +4.7 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.56 $ | 2.40 $ | -6.3 % |
Markets | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.84 $ | 4.06 $ | -16.1 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 4.00 $ | 3.81 $ | -4.7 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.77 $ | 2.85 $ | +2.8 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.79 $ | 4.07 $ | -15.1 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 9.50 $ | 7.52 $ | -20.9 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.42 $ | 6.78 $ | +5.6 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.43 $ | 9.46 $ | +0.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.59 $ | 2.70 $ | +3.9 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.96 $ | 0.89 $ | -6.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.83 $ | 2.10 $ | -25.9 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.95 $ | 2.24 $ | -24.2 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.72 $ | 1.19 $ | -30.8 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.70 $ | 1.35 $ | -20.8 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.75 $ | 2.25 $ | -18.2 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.53 $ | 2.62 $ | +3.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.90 $ | 2.43 $ | +28.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 5.25 $ | 4.31 $ | -17.9 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 13.66 $ | 16.00 $ | +17.1 % |
Transportation | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.40 $ | 2.50 $ | +4.2 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 90.00 $ | 80.00 $ | -11.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 2.80 $ | 3.25 $ | +16.1 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.80 $ | 2.25 $ | -19.6 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 28.00 $ | 25.00 $ | -10.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.58 $ | 4.22 $ | +17.9 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 30,000.00 $ | 37,383.69 $ | +24.6 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 24,095.29 $ | 27,211.87 $ | +12.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 197.39 $ | 160.77 $ | -18.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 57.11 $ | 55.33 $ | -3.1 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 69.92 $ | 57.48 $ | -17.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 95.56 $ | 76.63 $ | -19.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 26.00 $ | 6.25 $ | -76.0 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 16.00 $ | 15.00 $ | -6.2 % |
Childcare | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,416.67 $ | 2,170.00 $ | -10.2 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 28,000.00 $ | 45,450.00 $ | +62.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 58.78 $ | 60.46 $ | +2.9 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 44.64 $ | 53.75 $ | +20.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 92.89 $ | 97.19 $ | +4.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 155.69 $ | 130.31 $ | -16.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 3,131.60 $ | 2,432.29 $ | -22.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 2,256.09 $ | 1,517.89 $ | -32.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 5,183.91 $ | 4,604.17 $ | -11.2 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 3,561.36 $ | 2,991.30 $ | -16.0 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 846.53 $ | 330.00 $ | -61.0 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 465.08 $ | 258.01 $ | -44.5 % |
Salaries And Financing | Boston, MA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,607.52 $ | 5,049.64 $ | -9.9 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.55 | 6.64 | +1.5 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 142 | 225 |
Moving to Boston, MA? Explore:
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Cities near Boston, MA: | Cost of Living in Natick, Massachusetts | 18.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ashland, Massachusetts | 25.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Providence, Rhode Island | 51.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Manchester, New Hampshire | 52.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Providence, Rhode Island | 54.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Concord, New Hampshire | 67.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Springfield, Massachusetts | 90.79 miles |
| Cost of Living in Westfield, Massachusetts | 96.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hartford, Connecticut | 101.66 miles |
| Cost of Living in Northampton, Massachusetts | 103.73 miles |
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Naperville, Illinois | 30.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Schaumburg, Illinois | 30.60 miles |