Bangor vs Chicago
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Bangor
Chicago
💡 The Verdict
Bangor is 0% cheaper than Chicago overall. A $75,000 salary in Bangor is equivalent to $75,000 in Chicago.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Bangor (left) vs Chicago (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Bangor versus Chicago. Differences shown from Bangor perspective.
| Item | Bangor | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $990/mo | $1,230/mo | $-240.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,370/mo | $1,700/mo | $-330.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,760/mo | $2,220/mo | $-460.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $3.24 | $2.71 | +$0.53 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.13 | $4.17 | $-0.04 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.66 | $3.55 | +$0.11 |
| Coffee (latte) | $6.03 | $6.11 | $-0.08 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.56 | $3.57 | $-0.01 |
| Restaurant Meal | $20.04 | $15.53 | +$4.51 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Bangor has the same purchasing power as $75,000 in Chicago.
Conversely, $75,000 in Chicago equals $75,000 in Bangor.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $450 difference is driven by Maine having a higher state income tax rate. Maine details → · Illinois details →
Reading These Numbers: Bangor (107) vs Chicago (107)
Bangor at 107 is 7% above the US average, while Chicago at 107 is 7% above average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Bangor, the composite index of 107 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 104, followed by groceries (109), utilities (109), transportation (111), and healthcare (114). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,370/mo in Bangor and $1,700/mo in Chicago, the annual rent difference is approximately $3,960.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $19,800.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $35,000.0 difference in median home prices between Bangor and Chicago translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Bangor vs Chicago
Choosing between Bangor and Chicago involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Bangor and Chicago reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.