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

Chicago, IL is approximately 33% cheaper than Springfield, MA in average monthly utilities ($365/mo vs $544/mo), saving approximately $179 per month or $2,152 annually.

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

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 Springfield, baseline fixed meter fees are $40.00/month with Tier 1 water at $6.80 per 1,000 gallons.

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

Chicago experiences 1050 Cooling Degree Days (CDD) with a peak summer AC cost spike of 38%, whereas Springfield records 1630 CDD with a summer spike of 39%. Heating Degree Days (HDD) are 6100 in Chicago versus 4911 in Springfield.

Chicago, IL vs Springfield, MA Utility Costs Comparison (2026)

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

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

Chicago Est.

$365/mo

Power:$161

Water & Sewer:$89

Gas & Trash:$100

Projected Variance

-$179/mo

Chicago saves your household roughly $2,152 per year at this consumption tier.

Springfield Est.

$544/mo

Power:$273

Water & Sewer:$140

Gas & Trash:$139

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

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

EIA-861 Calibrated

Utility Component	Chicago, IL	Springfield, MA
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh)	$0.162 / kWh	$0.285 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee	$15.50/mo	$16.00/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure	ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) Deregulated REP Market	Eversource Energy (Boston) Deregulated REP Market
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm)	$1.25 / Therm	$1.95 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge	$34.50/mo	$19.00/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4")	$18.00/mo	$18.00/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal)	$4.40	$6.80
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal)	$6.20	$10.40
Wastewater / Sewer Rates	Base: $18.00/mo Volumetric: $4.40/1k gal	Base: $22.00/mo Volumetric: $9.80/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling	$9.50/mo	$32.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee	$0.00/mo	$8.50/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee	Deposit: $150 – $300 Turn-on: $25.00	Deposit: $200 – $400 Turn-on: $30.00

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	Springfield, MA
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD)	1,050 CDD	1,630 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD)	6,100 HDD	4,911 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility	+38% Summer Spike	+39% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary	Continental climate with severe winter cold and heating loads, plus hot humid summer cycles.	NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 1,630 Cooling Degree Days and 4,911 Heating Degree Days annually across Hampden County.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

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

NREL Solar Data

Solar Component	Chicago, IL	Springfield, MA
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours	4.4 hrs/day	4.4 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation	Illinois Shines (IPA) solar rebates + ComEd full 1:1 net metering credit.	Massachusetts SMART program + DPU 1:1 net metering credits with SREC incentives.
City Solar Calculator	Chicago Solar Estimator →	Springfield 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 →

🏙️ Springfield Official Estimator

Springfield, MA Utility Calculator

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

ZIP: springfield Open Springfield Hub →

Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Chicago vs Springfield

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

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

Chicago, IL is approximately 33% cheaper than Springfield, MA in overall monthly utility bills ($365/mo vs $544/mo). A typical household saves around $179 per month or $2,152 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 $0.285 per kWh in Springfield served by Eversource Energy (Boston). For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $123.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.

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

In Chicago, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $18.00/mo plus $18.00/mo sewer baseline. In Springfield, the base water fee is $18.00/mo with $22.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $4.40/1k gal in Chicago versus $6.80/1k gal in Springfield.

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, Springfield records 1,630 CDD with a 39% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 6,100 in Chicago versus 4,911 in Springfield.

Related Metro Comparisons

Explore Other City Comparisons

Compare Chicago or Springfield against neighboring cities and prominent US metro destinations.

📍 Popular Comparisons for Chicago

Chicago vs Peoria, IL $365 vs $349 → Chicago vs New York City, NY $365 vs $440 → Chicago vs New York, NY $365 vs $439 → Chicago vs Los Angeles, CA $365 vs $395 →

📍 Popular Comparisons for Springfield

Springfield vs Boston, MA $544 vs $455 → Springfield vs Worcester, MA $544 vs $544 → Springfield vs New York City, NY $544 vs $440 → Springfield vs New York, NY $544 vs $439 →

Chicago, IL vs Springfield, MA

Chicago

Springfield

Executive Summary & Citability Passage