Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, NY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, NY: $2,632 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, NY
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Amherst, NY Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,632

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amherst, NY and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amherst, NY and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,632 per month in Amherst, NY vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Amherst, NY $2,632
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,868 per month in Amherst, NY vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Amherst, NY $3,868
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,105 per month in Amherst, NY vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Amherst, NY $5,105
Chicago, IL $5,999

Amherst, NY is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amherst, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Amherst, NY by 93%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.80 $17.80

$20.71 $20.71

-14.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$89.2 $89.2

-14.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$13.19 $13.19

-7.58%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$5.66 $5.66

1.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.64 $2.64

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.28 $2.28

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$6.87 $6.87

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$8.84 $8.84

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.25 $1.25

-29.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.72 $3.72

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$5.39 $5.39

-16.51%

Eggs

$3.95 $3.95

$4.74 $4.74

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.84 $13.84

-19.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.04 $10.04

$14.40 $14.40

-30.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 $15.80

$18.38 $18.38

-14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$5.22 $5.22

-8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.98 $1.98

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.06 $4.06

11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.97 $4.97

1.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.66 $2.66

13.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.24 $2.24

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.13 $3.13

-21.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.03 $15.03

$13.82 $13.82

8.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$14.88 $14.88

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.54 $2.54

-19.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.51 $3.51

12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.43 $2.43

-19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 $68.4

$73.5 $73.5

-7.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.18 $3.18

23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.39 $1.39

53.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.94 $29.94

$25.03 $25.03

19.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.20 $1.20

-10.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.6K $30.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.12%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$233 $233

$194 $194

20.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$51.9 $51.9

$69.5 $69.5

-25.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 $68.0

$61.6 $61.6

10.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 $40.93

$47.90 $47.90

-14.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 $19.86

$27.34 $27.34

-27.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 $13.12

$17.81 $17.81

-26.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,500 $1,500

$1,794 $1,794

-16.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K $17.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-45.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$67.0 $67.0

-22.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.63 $44.63

$52.1 $52.1

-14.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 $97.0

$102 $102

-4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$144 $144

-22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$2,526 $2,526

-37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 $1,282

$1,578 $1,578

-18.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 $2,547

$4,738 $4,738

-46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$2,693 $2,693

-19.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,686 $2,686

$4,190 $4,190

-35.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,373 $2,373

$2,768 $2,768

-14.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,120 $4,120

$4,931 $4,931

-16.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.81

-4.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amherst, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, NY

$1.3K 48.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.1% $296

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, NY

$385 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 16.2% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, NY

$353 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 7.8% $28

Eating Out

Amherst, NY

$316 12%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.1% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, NY

$137 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 19.5% $27

Getting Around

Amherst, NY

$91 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 2.8% $2.6

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, NY

$67 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 24.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in Amherst, NY versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Amherst, NY versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $447 – making Amherst, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

09:04 9:04 AM

1 h behind Amherst, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Amherst, NY Chicago, IL 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, NY
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amherst, NY vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Amherst, NY, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,948 per month in Amherst, NY and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amherst, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,569 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,500 per month in Amherst, NY and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,632 in Amherst, NY and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Amherst, NY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Amherst, NY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.