Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and East Northport, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in East Northport, NY: $2,582 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,139
/mo nomad
East Northport, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,582
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,582 in East Northport, NY, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,139
  • East Northport, NY $2,582

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,763 in East Northport, NY, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,627
  • East Northport, NY $4,763

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,944 in East Northport, NY, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $6,115
  • East Northport, NY $6,944

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than East Northport, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and East Northport, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, East Northport, NY by 91%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.65 $20.65
$21.73 $21.73
-4.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.2 $90.2
$103 $103
-12.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.94 $12.94
$11.77 $11.77
9.94%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$5.04 $5.04
11.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.65 $2.65
-0.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$2.21 $2.21
2.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.98 $6.98
$7.93 $7.93
-11.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.83 $8.83
$8.74 $8.74
1.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.52 $1.52
-16.45%
White Bread (500g)
$3.80 $3.80
$4.54 $4.54
-16.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.30 $5.30
$2.02 $2.02
162.38%
Eggs
$4.76 $4.76
$5.08 $5.08
-6.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.96 $13.96
$7.33 $7.33
90.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.61 $14.61
$16.76 $16.76
-12.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.77 $18.77
$16.53 $16.53
13.55%
Apples (1kg)
$5.19 $5.19
$4.17 $4.17
24.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.25 $1.25
58.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$2.08 $2.08
88.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$5.97 $5.97
-16.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$1.07 $1.07
157.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.17 $2.17
27.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.54 $1.54
44.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 $2.98
$2.55 $2.55
16.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.02 $14.02
$14.56 $14.56
-3.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.28 $15.28
$17.23 $17.23
-11.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.30 $2.30
12.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 $3.50
$3.31 $3.31
5.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.06 $2.06
19.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.8 $74.8
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.34 $3.34
$3.03 $3.03
10.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 $1.43
$2.18 $2.18
-34.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.32 $24.32
$42.05 $42.05
-42.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.08 $1.08
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$27.1K $27.1K
29.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K $26.1K
$25.6K $25.6K
1.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 $193
$186 $186
3.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.3 $68.3
$48.55 $48.55
40.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.3 $61.3
$52.6 $52.6
16.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 $54.1
$47.81 $47.81
13.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 $27.92
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.74 $17.74
$19.71 $19.71
-9.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,652 $1,652
$2,601 $2,601
-36.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.1K $31.1K
$34.8K $34.8K
-10.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.1 $66.1
$40.72 $40.72
62.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 $51.2
$76.6 $76.6
-33.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 $100
$75.5 $75.5
32.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 $141
$120 $120
17.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,446 $2,446
$1,566 $1,566
56.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,678 $1,678
$1,290 $1,290
30.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,717 $4,717
$4,685 $4,685
0.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,795 $2,795
$3,926 $3,926
-28.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,105 $4,105
$2,893 $2,893
41.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,650 $2,650
$2,254 $2,254
17.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
East Northport, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,866 $4,866
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
6.67
2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for East Northport, NY: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.7K
East Northport, NY
$1.3K 23.1% $388
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$449
East Northport, NY
$408 9.3% $42
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$343
East Northport, NY
$346 0.8% $2.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$322
East Northport, NY
$287 10.8% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$161
East Northport, NY
$141 12.7% $21
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$95
East Northport, NY
$22 * 76.7% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$90
East Northport, NY
$87 2.6% $2.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,566 in East Northport, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $103 in East Northport, NY. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $408 in East Northport, NY – so East Northport, NY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 East Northport, NY
🕒 Local time
03:51 3:51 AM
04:51 4:51 AM
1 h ahead of Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
20,048
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL East Northport, NY 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • East Northport, 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 East Northport, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chicago, IL and in East Northport, NY compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,582 in East Northport, NY – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Chicago, IL compared to East Northport, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,873 in East Northport, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chicago, IL and East Northport, NY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in East Northport, NY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $103 in East Northport, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 10% 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.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,582 in East Northport, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Chicago, IL and East Northport, NY?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,582 in East Northport, NY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Chicago, IL and East Northport, NY?
If budget matters most, go with East Northport, 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.

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