Key takeaway: A one-bedroom in Montclare rents for about $1,440 to $1,575 a month in fall 2026, two-bedrooms about $1,790 to $1,800, single-family homes sold for a median $370,000 in 2024, and two Metra stations get you downtown for $3.75.
Montclare is a small neighborhood on the city’s western edge along Harlem Avenue, south of Belmont, with bungalows and its own Metra stops. Its typical one-bedroom, about $1,575 a month, runs about $504 below the citywide typical of $2,079 (Zillow, September 2026), the 36th highest of the 92 areas in our neighborhood comparison.
| Typical one-bedroom | $1,575 a month |
| Typical two-bedroom | $1,790 a month |
| Income for your own one-bedroom | About $63,000 a year |
| L lines | None |
| Metra | Milwaukee District West |
| Part of the city | Northwest Side |
On this page: Rent · Getting around · Groceries · Parks · Parking · Taxes and home prices · Sample budget
Rent by apartment size
| Unit | Zumper (avg., Oct 2026) | RentHop (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | n/a | $1,100 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,575 | $1,438 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,790 | $1,800 |
| 3 bedrooms | n/a | $2,900 |
Source: Zumper Montclare rent research, updated October 25, 2026; RentHop Montclare. Sources differ because they track different listings; see why rent reports disagree.
Getting around
- Metra: Mont Clare and Mars stations on the Milwaukee District West Line, both Zone 2: $3.75 one way or $75 a month (Metra fares). See Metra fares.
- Buses: #90 Harlem to the Blue and Green lines, #77 Belmont, #65 Grand and #74 Fullerton.
- L: no station in Montclare.
A 30-day CTA pass is $75 (CTA).
Groceries nearby
| Store | Address |
|---|---|
| ALDI | 6520 W. Fullerton Ave. |
| Jewel-Osco Narragansett and Diversey (east) | 2520 N. Narragansett Ave. |
Source: each store’s own location page or locator, checked October 25, 2026. See our Chicago grocery guide.
Parks
Rutherford Sayre Park at 6871 W. Belden Ave. covers about 14 acres with a fieldhouse, gym, fitness center, water spray and tennis courts (Chicago Park District).
Parking
If you will have a car, check your block with the City Clerk’s zone lookup before you sign a lease. Adding a residential permit zone to your City Sticker costs $25 to $35 a year, on top of the $105.18 passenger-car sticker; our parking guide covers guest passes, meters and garages.
Property taxes and home prices
The Assessor’s 2024 report put Montclare median sale prices at $189,000 for a condo, $370,000 for a single-family home and $431,000 for a two-to-six-unit building (Cook County Assessor, 2024 Chicago report). Citywide, the median Chicago homeowner bill for tax year 2025, mailed in August 2026, was $4,597, up 3.2% (Cook County Treasurer). For how bills are set and how to appeal, see our property tax guide, and to weigh owning against renting, our rent vs. buy calculator.
Montclare cost of living: a sample monthly budget
| Setup | Rent | CTA pass | Income needed at 30% rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own one-bedroom | $1,575 | $75 | $63,000 |
| Half of a two-bedroom | $895 | $75 | $35,800 |
| Your own two-bedroom | $1,790 | $75 | $71,600 |
Source: our calculation from the Zumper averages above. Income needed is monthly rent times 12, divided by 0.30. For a fuller answer that includes taxes and the rest of your budget, try our Chicago salary calculator, and see Chicago move-in costs for what you’ll pay up front.
Compare every neighborhood side by side in our Chicago neighborhood cost comparison, or work out your own number with our salary calculator. More Northwest Side neighborhood profiles: Albany Park, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Bucktown, Dunning, Edison Park, Hermosa, Irving Park, Jefferson Park, Logan Square, Norwood Park, O’Hare, Old Irving Park, Portage Park and Sauganash and Forest Glen.
Costs that apply in every neighborhood: property tax bills, closing costs and condo fees, water, sewer and garbage fees, ComEd and Peoples Gas, CTA fares, parking, average salaries by job and our Chicago cost index.
Sources
- Zumper: Montclare rent
- RentHop: Montclare rent
- Metra: Mont Clare
- Metra: Mars
- Metra fare table
- Chicago Park District: Rutherford Sayre Park
- City of Chicago: list of L stops
- CTA fares
- City Clerk: City Sticker prices
- City Clerk: residential zone parking
- Cook County Assessor: 2024 Chicago report
- Cook County Treasurer: tax year 2025 analysis