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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,022 in Bronx, NY versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,354 in Bronx, NY versus $4,628 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,687 in Bronx, NY versus $6,179 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Bronx, NY is roughly 31% more expensive than Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bronx, NY 200% above, Chicago, IL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 $18.75

$20.91 $20.91

-10.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 $61.2

$98.1 $98.1

-37.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$11.86 $11.86

0.59%

Cappuccino

$2.05 $2.05

$5.60 $5.60

-63.39%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$3.07 $3.07

-27.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.47 $2.47

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$7.14 $7.14

-15.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$8.08 $8.08

-49.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.05 $1.05

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$4.11 $4.11

-4.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.61 $5.61

-25.49%

Eggs

$3.95 $3.95

$4.51 $4.51

-12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.11 $12.11

$14.27 $14.27

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 $14.21

$14.89 $14.89

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 $15.64

$19.19 $19.19

-18.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$5.14 $5.14

-49.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.77 $1.77

-23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.39 $4.39

-5.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.56 $4.56

4.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.54 $2.54

12.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.75 $2.75

1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.42 $2.42

-13.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.62 $2.62

-15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 $13.45

$14.92 $14.92

-9.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.18 $18.18

$14.80 $14.80

22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.46 $2.46

-31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.73 $3.73

-12.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.48 $2.48

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 $134

$75.4 $75.4

77.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.18 $3.18

-19.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.42 $1.42

11.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$24.94 $24.94

19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.06 $1.06

-11.32%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-9.09%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.54%

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

$287 $287

$185 $185

55.33%

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

$43.88 $43.88

$61.7 $61.7

-28.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 $52.2

$66.9 $66.9

-21.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 $91.7

$75.2 $75.2

22.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.65 $44.65

$13.08 $13.08

241.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$14.71 $14.71

-6.25%

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

$1,284 $1,284

$2,020 $2,020

-36.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$39.4K $39.4K

-41.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$64.6 $64.6

-21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 $40.05

$52.5 $52.5

-23.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$97.8 $97.8

-11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$148 $148

-15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 $2,458

$2,313 $2,313

6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,498 $2,498

$1,590 $1,590

57.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,237 $4,237

$4,608 $4,608

-8.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$2,779 $2,779

27.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,019 $7,019

$3,922 $3,922

78.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,624 $5,624

$2,613 $2,613

115.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,684 $4,684

$5,217 $5,217

-10.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.6

-2.27%

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

Last update for Bronx, NY: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,458 in Bronx, NY and $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Bronx, NY vs $98.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $447 per month, with Bronx, NY cheaper across the board.

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 31% 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, Chicago, IL earns 11% less. 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: $2,458 in Bronx, NY versus $2,313 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 77% less than in Bronx, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,284 in Bronx, NY versus $2,020 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 $3,077 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 31% less than in Bronx, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.