Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Binghamton, NY: $2,256 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Binghamton, NY
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Binghamton, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Binghamton, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,256

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL versus $2,256 in Binghamton, NY.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Binghamton, NY $2,256

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,631 in Chicago, IL versus $3,410 in Binghamton, NY.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Binghamton, NY $3,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,077 in Chicago, IL versus $4,565 in Binghamton, NY.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Binghamton, NY $4,565

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 41% more expensive than in Binghamton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 136% above, Binghamton, NY 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$18.32 $18.32

17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$49.62 $49.62

78.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$11.07 $11.07

19.24%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.82 $4.82

15.98%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.14 $2.14

22.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.57 $1.57

43.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$5.08 $5.08

39.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$6.14 $6.14

50.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.83 $0.83

54.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.52 $3.52

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.17 $4.17

21.58%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.79 $3.79

27.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$12.36 $12.36

14.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.00 $12.00

21.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$14.54 $14.54

29.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.37 $5.37

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.78 $1.78

12.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.11 $5.11

-21.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$6.29 $6.29

-20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.87 $3.87

-27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.58 $3.58

-25.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.36 $2.36

-9.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.96 $2.96

4.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$14.66 $14.66

9.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.95 $14.95

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.69 $1.69

55.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.02 $5.02

-31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.95 $1.95

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$70.3 $70.3

6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.97 $2.97

8.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.78 $1.78

-21.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$24.16 $24.16

3.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.02 $1.02

21.57%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$28.3K $28.3K

31.25%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

-7.02%

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

$192 $192

$213 $213

-9.82%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$65.3 $65.3

3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$64.3 $64.3

-5.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$51.6 $51.6

3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$40.33 $40.33

-30.82%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$12.81 $12.81

38.95%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,302 $1,302

19.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$7,031 $7,031

346.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$41.32 $41.32

64.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$57.9 $57.9

-12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$75.2 $75.2

34.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$148 $148

-3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,323 $1,323

80.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$893 $893

91.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$1,946 $1,946

140.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,666 $1,666

64.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,419 $1,419

192.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,267 $1,267

112.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,684 $3,684

32.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.65

1.80%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Binghamton, NY: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Binghamton, NY

$893 39.6% 47.9% $819

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Binghamton, NY

$418 18.5% 7.5% $34

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Binghamton, NY

$290 12.9% 17.8% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Binghamton, NY

$343 15.2% 6.8% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Binghamton, NY

$145 6.4% 11.3% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Binghamton, NY

$90 4% 5.4% $5.1

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Binghamton, NY

$77 3.4% 13.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,383 in Chicago, IL and $1,323 in Binghamton, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 33% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Chicago, IL vs $50.0 in Binghamton, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $418 per month, with Binghamton, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Binghamton, NY

🕒 Local time

02:06 2:06 AM

03:06 3:06 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

47,969

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Binghamton, NY 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Binghamton, NY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Chicago, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,323 in Binghamton, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Binghamton, NY – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,256 in Binghamton, NY versus $3,185 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Binghamton, NY but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Binghamton, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binghamton, NY is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Binghamton, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.