Chicago vs Philadelphia - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chicago Philadelphia
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2799
$2584
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$6454
$5778
🏠 One person rent
$1702
$1504
🏘️ Family rent
$2727
$2234
🍽️ Food expenses
$702
$732
🚐 Transport expenses
$204
$191
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5210
$4329
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
11 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
97
93
🏙️ Population
2.75M
1.6M

The cost of living in Chicago is 8% more expensive than in Philadelphia. Cities ranked 394th and 744th ($2799 vs $2584) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 338th and 660th in the United States.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.9 months in Chicago compared to 1.7 months in Philadelphia. Ranked 2nd vs 25th best cities to live in the United States, and 16th vs 95th among the best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chicago vs Philadelphia infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Philadelphia

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

Chicago Philadelphia
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$19.2
$20
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$86.5
$95.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$12
$13.1
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$7.36
$6.02
 Cappuccino
$5.6
$5.04
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.99
$2.84
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1993
$1597
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1414
$1193
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3215
$2401
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2313
$1807
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$108
$153
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$168
$232
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$64.8
$76.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.77%
6.58%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3645
$3243
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2499
$2372
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.48
$2.52
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$74.8
$99
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17
$15.5
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.01
$0.85
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.08
$1.39
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$4.01
$4.24
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.93
$8.95
🥚 Eggs, x12
$5.3
$4.46
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.4
$14.6
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.3
$13
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.8
$20.7
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.04
$6.04
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.8
$1.87
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.11
$4.5
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.56
$5.82
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.37
$3.1
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.76
$3.25
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.79
$1.47
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.14
$3.85
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$16.7
$15.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.81
$1.98
🚬 Cigarette pack
$16.5
$14.1
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$12.8
$9.23
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$7
$7.01
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.84
$4
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.14
$2.35
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$68.2
$58.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$17.1
$14.9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$135
$85.6
💇 Haircut, simple
$28.7
$28.6
👖 Brand Jeans
$61.8
$51.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$94.8
$95
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2032
$2021
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$23423
$15283

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Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2384
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2360
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2396
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2386
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2367
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2202
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2287
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2393
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2385
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2399
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2366
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2400
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2426
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2288
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2398
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2406
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2405
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2549
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2393
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2413
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2395
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$2030
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2327
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2392
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2379
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2462
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2008
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2388
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2399
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2468
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2363
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2495
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2268
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2392
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2368
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2261
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2392
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$1989
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2376
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2426

Cities near Philadelphia

Distance City Cost of living
5.2 km or 3.2 mi Camden
$2593
9.2 km or 5.7 mi Pennsauken Township
$2580
12 km or 7.1 mi Cherry Hill
$2638
12 km or 7.7 mi West Deptford Township
$2616
16 km or 9.9 mi Fox Chase
$2408
16 km or 9.9 mi Deptford Township
$2603
19 km or 12 mi Moorestown
$2578
21 km or 13 mi Gloucester Township
$2603
21 km or 13 mi Chester
$2476
22 km or 14 mi Mount Laurel
$2568
25 km or 15 mi Evesham Township
$2594
25 km or 16 mi Willingboro Township
$2637
31 km or 19 mi Medford
$2627
35 km or 22 mi Levittown
$2358
35 km or 22 mi Winslow Township
$2620
36 km or 23 mi Monroe Township
$2610
38 km or 23 mi West Chester
$2737
40 km or 25 mi Wilmington
$2267
46 km or 28 mi Trenton
$2676
46 km or 29 mi Ewing Township
$2609
50 km or 31 mi Hamilton Township
$2671
52 km or 32 mi Pottstown
$2355
54 km or 33 mi Lawrence Township
$2741
56 km or 35 mi Vineland
$2533
58 km or 36 mi Newark
$2121
59 km or 36 mi Bridgeton
$2608
62 km or 38 mi Princeton
$3102
63 km or 39 mi Millville
$2524
64 km or 39 mi East Windsor Township
$2797
65 km or 40 mi Plainsboro Township
$2846
67 km or 42 mi Montgomery Township
$2883
67 km or 42 mi Manchester Township
$2714
71 km or 44 mi Jackson Township
$2770
72 km or 45 mi South Brunswick
$2880
77 km or 48 mi Allentown
$2323
77 km or 48 mi Bethlehem
$2278
77 km or 48 mi Hillsborough Township
$2948
78 km or 48 mi Reading
$2239
78 km or 49 mi Barnegat Township
$2737
79 km or 49 mi Manalapan Township
$2886