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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,068 in Chicago, IL versus $4,037 in Bronx, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,648 in Chicago, IL versus $5,314 in Bronx, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,229 in Chicago, IL versus $6,591 in Bronx, NY.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 24% less than in Bronx, NY, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Bronx, NY 202% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$18.76 $18.76

7.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$59.3 $59.3

67.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$12.08 $12.08

1.24%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$1.95 $1.95

187.18%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.23 $2.23

39.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.01 $1.01

140.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$6.11 $6.11

13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.99 $3.99

105.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.22 $1.22

-11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.03 $4.03

-1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.17 $4.17

33.81%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$4.04 $4.04

10.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$12.24 $12.24

18.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.22 $14.22

6.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$15.34 $15.34

26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.51 $2.51

113.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.41 $1.41

24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.20 $4.20

2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.77 $4.77

-7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.80 $2.80

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.91 $2.91

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.09 $2.09

19.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.14 $2.14

21.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 $14.80

$13.40 $13.40

10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$18.07 $18.07

-15.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.76 $1.76

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.40 $3.40

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.91 $2.91

-12.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 $76.3

$134 $134

-43.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.47 $2.47

33.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.61 $1.61

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.36 $25.36

$29.10 $29.10

-12.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.93 $0.93

17.20%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$29.9K $29.9K

5.74%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.01%

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

$186 $186

$285 $285

-34.78%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$44.87 $44.87

40.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$52.0 $52.0

27.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.6 $77.6

$94.7 $94.7

-18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 $13.16

$45.22 $45.22

-70.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$13.73 $13.73

7.36%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$1,276 $1,276

59.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$23.2K $23.2K

71.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$51.6 $51.6

23.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.75 $39.75

28.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$87.8 $87.8

8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$123 $123

17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$2,447 $2,447

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$2,509 $2,509

-37.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,688 $4,688

$4,135 $4,135

13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,737 $2,737

$3,614 $3,614

-24.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,063 $4,063

$7,080 $7,080

-42.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,696 $2,696

$5,665 $5,665

-52.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,019 $5,019

$4,786 $4,786

4.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.45

2.33%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bronx, NY: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,305 in Chicago, IL and $2,447 in Bronx, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Chicago, IL vs $59.0 in Bronx, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $401 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

Chicago, IL vs Bronx, NY: 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.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $2,305 in Chicago, IL versus $2,447 in Bronx, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 76% less than in Bronx, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,039 in Chicago, IL versus $1,276 in Bronx, NY. 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 $3,068 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.