Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hempstead, NY: $1,474 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Hempstead, NY
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Hempstead, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,474 in Hempstead, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Hempstead, NY $1,474

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,319 in Hempstead, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Hempstead, NY $2,319

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,164 in Hempstead, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Hempstead, NY $3,164

Chicago, IL costs about 106% more than Hempstead, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Hempstead, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Hempstead, NY by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.94 $19.94

3.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.1 $76.1

17.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.73 $12.73

3.61%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.14 $5.14

10.12%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.91 $2.91

-9.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.33 $2.33

-2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.05 $6.05

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.20 $8.20

7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.26 $1.26

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.65 $1.65

125.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.45 $2.45

120.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.62 $3.62

30.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.56 $9.56

44.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.17 $12.17

18.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.13 $12.13

51.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.98 $2.98

75.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.80 $1.80

125.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.67 $5.67

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.88 $2.88

-7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.63 $2.63

1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.56 $2.56

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.48 $2.48

26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.96 $11.96

15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.17 $15.17

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.32 $2.32

9.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.42 $4.42

-20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.93 $2.93

-17.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$130 $130

-43.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.89 $2.89

10.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.63 $0.63

120.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.40 $24.40

2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.14 $1.14

5.26%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.7K $31.7K

10.49%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.30%

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

$194 $194

$230 $230

-15.48%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.4 $64.4

7.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.9 $66.9

-7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$112 $112

-57.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.88 $14.88

19.69%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,082 $2,082

-13.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$42.5K $42.5K

-24.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$48.96 $48.96

36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.40 $44.40

17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

-0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$141 $141

1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hempstead, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Hempstead, NY

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Hempstead, NY

$344 23.3% 23.2% $104

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Hempstead, NY

$327 22.2% 5.2% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Hempstead, NY

$361 24.5% 11% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Hempstead, NY

$152 10.3% 7.5% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Hempstead, NY

$148 10.1% 58.7% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Hempstead, NY

$142 9.6% 69.9% $58

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Hempstead, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $344 – making Hempstead, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hempstead, NY

🕒 Local time

16:00 4:00 PM

17:00 5:00 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

793,409

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Hempstead, NY 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,474 in Hempstead, NY – Hempstead, NY comes out roughly 51% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,210 in Hempstead, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Hempstead, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hempstead, NY, where all-in costs run around $1,474, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Hempstead, NY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,474 in Hempstead, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.