Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $4,216 in Bronx, NY, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

207

Cost of Living Index in Bronx, NY
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Bronx, NY Living Index
153

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

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Bronx, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,216

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bronx, 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 Bronx, NY and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,216 in Bronx, NY versus $3,185 in Chicago, IL.

Bronx, NY $4,216
Chicago, IL $3,185

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,493 in Bronx, NY versus $4,631 in Chicago, IL.

Bronx, NY $5,493
Chicago, IL $4,631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,771 in Bronx, NY versus $6,077 in Chicago, IL.

Bronx, NY $6,771
Chicago, IL $6,077

Living in Bronx, NY is roughly 32% more expensive than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bronx, NY 212% above, Chicago, IL 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.65 $21.65

$21.58 $21.58

0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$88.7 $88.7

-32.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$13.20 $13.20

-10.68%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$5.59 $5.59

-38.82%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.63 $2.63

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.26 $2.26

-46.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 $6.44

$7.11 $7.11

-9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$9.23 $9.23

-33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.28 $1.28

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.84 $3.84

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$5.07 $5.07

12.23%

Eggs

$4.58 $4.58

$4.84 $4.84

-5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$14.17 $14.17

-7.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.87 $16.87

$14.61 $14.61

15.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$18.76 $18.76

-13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$5.19 $5.19

-26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.00 $2.00

-3.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.00 $4.00

41.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.98 $4.98

21.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.79 $2.79

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.65 $2.65

22.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.13 $2.13

10.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.09 $3.09

-33.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 $13.77

$16.05 $16.05

-14.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 $17.87

$15.20 $15.20

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.62 $2.62

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.46 $3.46

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.47 $2.47

19.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 $144

$75.1 $75.1

91.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.21 $3.21

-15.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.39 $1.39

171.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.06 $49.06

$25.02 $25.02

96.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.24 $1.24

-16.94%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$37.2K $37.2K

-25.04%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.58%

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

$270 $270

$192 $192

40.45%

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

$48.18 $48.18

$67.8 $67.8

-28.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 $58.4

$60.9 $60.9

-4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 $64.0

$53.6 $53.6

19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$69.8 $69.8

$27.90 $27.90

150.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 $13.51

$17.80 $17.80

-24.10%

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

$2,740 $2,740

$1,554 $1,554

76.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$54.0K $54.0K

$31.4K $31.4K

72.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 $110

$67.9 $67.9

62.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$50.8 $50.8

-0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$101 $101

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$143 $143

-8.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$2,383 $2,383

8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 $2,627

$1,712 $1,712

53.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,546 $4,546

$4,674 $4,674

-2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 $3,368

$2,738 $2,738

23.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$4,158 $4,158

69.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,790 $5,790

$2,691 $2,691

115.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,432 $4,432

$4,894 $4,894

-9.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.01

6.77

3.55%

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

Last update for Bronx, NY: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bronx, NY

$2.6K 62.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 34.8% $915

Groceries & Markets

Bronx, NY

$451 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 0.2% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bronx, NY

$377 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 14.8% $56

Eating Out

Bronx, NY

$309 7.3%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 14.1% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Bronx, NY

$184 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 11.4% $21

Getting Around

Bronx, NY

$177 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 46.3% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Bronx, NY

$91 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 2% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Bronx, NY and $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Bronx, NY vs $89.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $451 per month, with Bronx, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bronx, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:20 2:20 AM

01:20 1:20 AM

1 h behind Bronx, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,385,108

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bronx, NY Chicago, IL 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Bronx, 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

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

Chicago, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Bronx, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chicago, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Chicago, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,577 in Bronx, NY versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 91% less than in Bronx, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,740 in Bronx, NY versus $1,554 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chicago, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,185 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chicago, IL hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Bronx, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.