Is it cheaper to live in Chicago or Philadelphia for monthly utilities?

Chicago, IL is approximately 4% cheaper than Philadelphia, PA in average monthly utilities ($365/mo vs $380/mo), saving approximately $15 per month or $180 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare between Chicago and Philadelphia?

Residential electricity in Chicago is $0.162 per kWh served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison), compared to $0.178 per kWh in Philadelphia served by PECO Energy Company.

What is the average water and sewer bill in Chicago compared to Philadelphia?

In Chicago, the minimum water and sewer base meter charge is $36.00/month with Tier 1 volumetric water priced at $4.40 per 1,000 gallons. In Philadelphia, baseline fixed meter fees are $37.00/month with Tier 1 water at $4.60 per 1,000 gallons.

How do weather and climate affect seasonal utility bills in Chicago vs Philadelphia?

Chicago experiences 1050 Cooling Degree Days (CDD) with a peak summer AC cost spike of 38%, whereas Philadelphia records 1350 CDD with a summer spike of 42%. Heating Degree Days (HDD) are 6100 in Chicago versus 4700 in Philadelphia.

Chicago, IL vs Philadelphia, PA Utility Costs Comparison (2026)

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

Select your home type to adjust estimated monthly consumption for Chicago and Philadelphia.

Chicago Est.

$365/mo

Power:$161

Water & Sewer:$89

Gas & Trash:$100

Projected Variance

-$15/mo

Chicago saves your household roughly $180 per year at this consumption tier.

Philadelphia Est.

$380/mo

Power:$172

Water & Sewer:$108

Gas & Trash:$87

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

Direct comparison of published rates, electric tariffs, and municipal meter charges.

EIA-861 Calibrated

Utility Component	Chicago, IL	Philadelphia, PA
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh)	$0.162 / kWh	$0.178 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee	$15.50/mo	$11.50/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure	ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) Deregulated REP Market	PECO Energy Company Deregulated REP Market
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm)	$1.25 / Therm	$1.45 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge	$34.50/mo	$22.00/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4")	$18.00/mo	$17.50/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal)	$4.40	$4.60
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal)	$6.20	$6.90
Wastewater / Sewer Rates	Base: $18.00/mo Volumetric: $4.40/1k gal	Base: $19.50/mo Volumetric: $7.20/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling	$9.50/mo	$0.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee	$0.00/mo	$15.00/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee	Deposit: $150 – $300 Turn-on: $25.00	Deposit: $150 – $300 Turn-on: $25.00

Climate & Seasonal HVAC Load Drivers

NOAA degree-day data dictating peak air conditioning and heating power spikes.

NOAA 1991–2020 Normals

Climate Indicator	Chicago, IL	Philadelphia, PA
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD)	1,050 CDD	1,350 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD)	6,100 HDD	4,700 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility	+38% Summer Spike	+42% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary	Continental climate with severe winter cold and heating loads, plus hot humid summer cycles.	Four-season Mid-Atlantic climate with PA PUC deregulated electric choice and storm water billing.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

Rooftop solar irradiance and net metering rules to mitigate high utility bills.

NREL Solar Data

Solar Component	Chicago, IL	Philadelphia, PA
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours	4.4 hrs/day	4.5 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation	Illinois Shines (IPA) solar rebates + ComEd full 1:1 net metering credit.	PA PUC 1:1 net metering with annual customer compensation at Price-to-Compare.
City Solar Calculator	Chicago Solar Estimator →	Philadelphia Solar Estimator →

🏙️ Chicago Official Estimator

Chicago, IL Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Chicago.

ZIP: chicago Open Chicago Hub →

🏙️ Philadelphia Official Estimator

Philadelphia, PA Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Philadelphia.

ZIP: philadelphia Open Philadelphia Hub →

Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Chicago vs Philadelphia

Direct answers to key cost of living and utility comparison questions.

Is it cheaper to live in Chicago or Philadelphia for utilities? ▼

Chicago, IL is approximately 4% cheaper than Philadelphia, PA in overall monthly utility bills ($365/mo vs $380/mo). A typical household saves around $15 per month or $180 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare per kilowatt-hour? ▼

Residential electricity in Chicago costs $0.162 per kWh supplied by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison), compared to $0.178 per kWh in Philadelphia served by PECO Energy Company. For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $16.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.

What is the water and sewer rate difference between Chicago and Philadelphia? ▼

In Chicago, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $18.00/mo plus $18.00/mo sewer baseline. In Philadelphia, the base water fee is $17.50/mo with $19.50/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $4.40/1k gal in Chicago versus $4.60/1k gal in Philadelphia.

How does weather and climate impact summer and winter power bills? ▼

Chicago logs 1,050 Cooling Degree Days with a 38% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, Philadelphia records 1,350 CDD with a 42% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 6,100 in Chicago versus 4,700 in Philadelphia.

Related Metro Comparisons

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Chicago vs New York City, NY $365 vs $440 → Chicago vs Los Angeles, CA $365 vs $395 → Chicago vs Houston, TX $365 vs $370 → Chicago vs Phoenix, AZ $365 vs $390 →

📍 Popular Comparisons for Philadelphia

Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh, PA $380 vs $365 → Philadelphia vs New York City, NY $380 vs $440 → Philadelphia vs Los Angeles, CA $380 vs $395 → Philadelphia vs Houston, TX $380 vs $370 →

Chicago, IL vs Philadelphia, PA

Chicago

Philadelphia

Executive Summary & Citability Passage