Chicago, IL vs Guelph
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
Guelph is approximately 81% less expensive than Chicago, IL based on cost of living including rent. This makes Guelph a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Guelph has a FIRE Score of 62/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 66.17, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Guelph is well-suited for retirees seeking a balanced lifestyle.
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Best in rowUnited States
Chicago, IL
Canada
Guelph
Estimates from published local prices. N/A means no figure is published for that city.
About these cities
About Guelph
Guelph is a small, safe city that punches above its weight for digital nomads and expats, with a 77/100 expat score and a 92/100 safety index. The tradeoff is money: a single adult needs $2,970/mo on a budget while the average local net salary is just $3,201/mo, so rent of $1,467/mo for a one-bedroom downtown eats most of a paycheck. Retirees and FIRE chasers should look elsewhere given scores of 65/100 and 62/100, but if you value clean air at 35 AQI and excellent healthcare, Guelph delivers.
About Canada
Canada taxes hard: expect 33% federal plus up to 21.8% provincial, a real drag on FIRE math. A retirement visa exists, so retirees do have a potential entry path, though it's not always straightforward. But remote workers and digital nomads should look past this, given a 9/10 expat friendliness score and 379.96 Mbps average internet. A 1BR apartment averaging $1,304.56/mo confirms the tax hit is the real cost center here, not rent.
Guelph costs roughly 45% less than Chicago, IL. Chicago, IL leads on digital nomad infrastructure, with faster average internet speeds. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Guelph is approximately 81% less expensive than Chicago, IL based on cost of living including rent. This makes Guelph a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Guelph has a FIRE Score of 62/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 66.17, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Guelph is well-suited for retirees seeking a balanced lifestyle.
Chicago, IL
United StatesAbout Chicago, IL
Chicago is a rare big American city where a $4,850/mo average net salary can actually cover a $2,000/mo one-bedroom outside the center, though you will pay for the privilege of living in Lincoln Park or Lakeview. The cost of living index sits at 88 against NYC's 100, which sounds like a bargain until you tally the $1,450/mo in non-rent costs and $293/mo in utilities. Safety is decent for a metro of 2.7 million, with a 70/100 safety index and a 30/100 crime index, but the FIRE score of 50/100 tells you this is not a city for aggressive early retirement. Come for the excellent healthcare, 200 Mbps internet, and large expat community; stay if you can stomach continental winters and a retiree score of 58/100.
About United States
Best for families seeking high English proficiency and excellent air travel access, with no retiree or digital nomad visa available. Internet speed of 390.28 Mbps and a large expat community support remote work, but the cost of living index is 100 (global baseline). Key trade-off: no retirement or digital nomad visa, and a complex pathway to residency or citizenship limits long-term stays.
$-1,393/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Guelph
Guelph is a small, safe city that punches above its weight for digital nomads and expats, with a 77/100 expat score and a 92/100 safety index. The tradeoff is money: a single adult needs $2,970/mo on a budget while the average local net salary is just $3,201/mo, so rent of $1,467/mo for a one-bedroom downtown eats most of a paycheck. Retirees and FIRE chasers should look elsewhere given scores of 65/100 and 62/100, but if you value clean air at 35 AQI and excellent healthcare, Guelph delivers.
About Canada
Canada taxes hard: expect 33% federal plus up to 21.8% provincial, a real drag on FIRE math. A retirement visa exists, so retirees do have a potential entry path, though it's not always straightforward. But remote workers and digital nomads should look past this, given a 9/10 expat friendliness score and 379.96 Mbps average internet. A 1BR apartment averaging $1,304.56/mo confirms the tax hit is the real cost center here, not rent.
$678/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | Chicago, IL | Guelph |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $2650 | $1467.05 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $2000 | $1355.99 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $4850 | $2057.37 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $3500 | $1956.84 |
| Safety Index | 70 | 66.17 |
| Internet Speed | 200Mbps | 120Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Chicago, IL | Guelph |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | N/A | $2,260/mo |
| Excluding rent | N/A | $904/mo |
| Rent | N/A | $1,356/mo |
| Groceries | N/A | $301/mo |
| Dining out | N/A | $210/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | N/A | $108/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | N/A | $219/mo |
| Transport | N/A | $66.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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