Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Boston, MA 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Boston, MA are 5.5% higher than in Chicago, IL (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Boston, MA are 12.7% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Rent Prices in Boston, MA are 24.2% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Restaurant Prices in Boston, MA are 0.2% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Groceries Prices in Boston, MA are 4.6% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Boston, MA is 6.3% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
Restaurants | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 24.50 $ | 22.50 $ | -8.2 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 95.00 $ | 100.00 $ | +5.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 11.34 $ | 12.00 $ | +5.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 9.00 $ | 10.00 $ | +11.1 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.20 $ | 5.67 $ | +9.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.95 $ | 2.80 $ | -5.0 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.34 $ | 2.51 $ | +7.2 % |
Markets | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.21 $ | 4.82 $ | +14.5 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.80 $ | 4.00 $ | +5.3 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.77 $ | 2.60 $ | -6.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.96 $ | 4.79 $ | +20.9 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.52 $ | 8.88 $ | +18.0 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.82 $ | 6.32 $ | -7.4 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.61 $ | 9.25 $ | -3.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.80 $ | 2.57 $ | -8.1 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.89 $ | 0.95 $ | +6.3 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.27 $ | 2.83 $ | +24.9 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.26 $ | 2.95 $ | +30.7 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.17 $ | 1.72 $ | +47.3 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.29 $ | 1.70 $ | +31.8 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.32 $ | 2.75 $ | +18.6 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.46 $ | 2.50 $ | +1.5 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 14.50 $ | 15.00 $ | +3.4 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.43 $ | 1.90 $ | -21.9 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 4.31 $ | 5.25 $ | +21.8 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 16.50 $ | 13.66 $ | -17.2 % |
Transportation | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 2.40 $ | -4.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 80.00 $ | 90.00 $ | +12.5 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.25 $ | 2.70 $ | -16.9 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.25 $ | 2.80 $ | +24.4 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 25.00 $ | 28.00 $ | +12.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 4.22 $ | 3.61 $ | -14.6 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 37,383.69 $ | 30,000.00 $ | -19.8 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 27,211.87 $ | 24,095.29 $ | -11.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 163.97 $ | 201.82 $ | +23.1 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 53.24 $ | 57.11 $ | +7.3 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 58.13 $ | 69.12 $ | +18.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 79.76 $ | 95.56 $ | +19.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 6.25 $ | 26.00 $ | +316.0 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 16.00 $ | +6.7 % |
Childcare | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,170.00 $ | 2,416.67 $ | +11.4 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 45,450.00 $ | 28,000.00 $ | -38.4 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 60.94 $ | 58.60 $ | -3.8 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 53.75 $ | 46.33 $ | -13.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 95.27 $ | 94.05 $ | -1.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 126.60 $ | 157.60 $ | +24.5 % |
Rent Per Month | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,353.85 $ | 3,134.23 $ | +33.2 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,515.32 $ | 2,259.60 $ | +49.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,568.18 $ | 5,183.91 $ | +13.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,947.62 $ | 3,561.36 $ | +20.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 318.33 $ | 1,087.30 $ | +241.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 260.01 $ | 585.05 $ | +125.0 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chicago, IL Edit |
Boston, MA Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,494.44 $ | 5,805.80 $ | +5.7 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.64 | 6.55 | -1.5 % |
| Last update: | April 2024 | April 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 230 | 150 |
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Moving to Boston, MA? Explore:
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 |
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 |