Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, NY
Learn more

Amherst, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,632

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Amherst, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.80 $17.80

16.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.9 $75.9

17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.19 $12.19

8.20%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.73 $5.73

-1.22%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.75 $2.75

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.99 $1.99

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.84 $6.84

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.64 $7.64

15.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.88 $0.88

42.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.41 $3.41

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.50 $4.50

19.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.95 $3.95

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.18 $11.18

23.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.04 $10.04

43.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.80 $15.80

16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.80 $4.80

8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.39 $1.39

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.53 $4.53

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.03 $5.03

-1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.03 $3.03

-12.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.40 $2.40

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.47 $2.47

26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$15.03 $15.03

-8.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.12 $15.12

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.04 $2.04

24.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.95 $3.95

-11.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$68.4 $68.4

7.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.93 $3.93

-19.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.13 $2.13

-34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.94 $29.94

-16.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

14.34%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.17%

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

$194 $194

$233 $233

-16.69%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.9 $51.9

33.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.0 $68.0

-9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.93 $40.93

17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$19.86 $19.86

37.66%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.12 $13.12

35.75%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,500 $1,500

19.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.5K $17.5K

82.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.2 $52.2

28.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.63 $44.63

16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.0 $97.0

4.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$111 $111

29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,569 $1,569

61.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,282 $1,282

23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,547 $2,547

86.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,167 $2,167

24.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,686 $2,686

55.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,373 $2,373

16.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,120 $4,120

19.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.52

4.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Amherst, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Amherst, NY

$1.3K 48.7% 18.7% $296

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Amherst, NY

$385 14.6% 13.9% $62

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Amherst, NY

$316 12% 8.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Amherst, NY

$353 13.4% 8.5% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Amherst, NY

$137 5.2% 16.3% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Amherst, NY

$91 3.5% 2.8% $2.6

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Amherst, NY

$67 2.6% 19.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,569 in Amherst, NY. 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Amherst, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $385 – making Amherst, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Amherst, NY

🕒 Local time

12:49 12:49 PM

13:49 1:49 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Chicago, IL
Amherst, NY

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

Chicago, IL vs Amherst, NY: 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 $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,948 in Amherst, NY. 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 $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,500 in Amherst, NY. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,632 in Amherst, NY. 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.