Chicago vs Ottawa - Cost of Living Comparison

Chicago Ottawa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2372
$1872
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$5663
$4128
🏠 One person rent
$1412
$1094
🏘️ Family rent
$2402
$1607
🍽️ Food expenses
$585
$495
🚐 Transport expenses
$210
$167
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5314
$3280
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
5 km
🎓 Higher education
100
48
😀 Quality of life
96
91
🏙️ Population
2.75M
934K

The cost of living in Chicago is 27% more expensive than in Ottawa. Cities ranked 254th and 2019th ($2372 vs $1872) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 195th and 30th in the United States and Canada, respectively. Check the United States vs Canada comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Chicago compared to 1.8 months in Ottawa. Chicago ranked 1st best city to live in the United States vs Ottawa ranked 13th in Canada, while ranked 11th and 95th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Chicago vs Ottawa infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Ottawa

Prices for goods and services in Chicago and Ottawa are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chicago Ottawa
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$16.8
$14.3
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$62.8
$56.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.52
$8.45
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$5.86
$5.47
☕ Cappuccino
$5.14
$3.74
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.6
$2.12
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1692
$1162
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1112
$890
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3028
$1666
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1930
$1337
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$124
$97.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$192
$152
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$60.8
$52.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.59%
5.94%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4099
$5424
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2764
$4401
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.5
$2.79
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$77.1
$93.9
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17.1
$16
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.21
$1.38
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$1.95
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.81
$1.86
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.12
$2.41
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.12
$3.25
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.8
$11.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12
$11.4
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.4
$12.7
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.41
$3.71
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.21
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$2.87
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.1
$3.48
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.99
$1.87
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$2
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.51
$1
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.21
$1.87
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.6
$11.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.75
$2.31
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15.6
$11.5
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.5
$9.3
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.76
$4.19
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$4.92
$1.97
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.98
$2.16
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$46.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.5
$10.9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$101
$61.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$26.3
$13.5
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.8
$55.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.3
$79
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1798
$1046
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$21587
$16813

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022

Cities near Ottawa

Distance City Cost of living
7.4 km or 4.6 mi Gatineau
$1527
19 km or 12 mi Kanata
$1798
87 km or 54 mi Cornwall
$1369
94 km or 58 mi Brockville
$1675
124 km or 77 mi Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
$1647
128 km or 80 mi Mirabel
$1680
130 km or 81 mi Vaudreuil-Dorion
$1685
138 km or 86 mi Saint-Jerome
$1681
141 km or 87 mi Saint-Eustache
$1682
143 km or 89 mi Kirkland
$1683
144 km or 89 mi Blainville
$1683
146 km or 90 mi Sainte-Therese
$1676
147 km or 91 mi Pointe-Claire
$1677
147 km or 91 mi Boisbriand
$1685
147 km or 91 mi Dollard-des-Ormeaux
$1686
147 km or 91 mi Kingston
$1608
150 km or 93 mi Le Ray
$2019
152 km or 94 mi Dorval
$1684
152 km or 94 mi Chateauguay
$1657
153 km or 95 mi Laval
$1417
157 km or 98 mi Saint-Lin-Laurentides
$1679
158 km or 98 mi Cote-Saint-Luc
$1683
160 km or 100 mi Mount Royal
$1680
162 km or 101 mi Watertown
$2060
163 km or 102 mi Terrebonne
$1697
163 km or 102 mi Westmount
$1683
166 km or 103 mi Saint-Constant
$1685
167 km or 104 mi Montreal
$1688
167 km or 104 mi Mascouche
$1192
170 km or 106 mi Saint-Lambert
$1691
170 km or 106 mi Candiac
$1679
170 km or 106 mi Longueuil
$1371
171 km or 106 mi La Prairie
$1681
175 km or 109 mi Brossard
$1555
176 km or 109 mi Boucherville
$1685
177 km or 110 mi Repentigny
$1684
178 km or 111 mi Varennes
$1677
183 km or 114 mi L'Assomption
$1674
183 km or 114 mi Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville
$1686
185 km or 115 mi Sainte-Julie
$1679