Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilton, NY: $2,744 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Hilton, NY
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Hilton, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Hilton, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,744 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Hilton, NY $2,744

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,925 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Hilton, NY $3,925

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,106 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Hilton, NY $5,106

Chicago, IL costs about 11% more than Hilton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Hilton, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Hilton, NY by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.57 $20.57

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$65.9 $65.9

35.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.04 $13.04

1.15%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.71 $5.71

-0.88%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.65 $2.65

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.83 $1.83

24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.55 $5.55

23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.29 $7.29

21.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.05 $1.05

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.80 $3.80

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.78 $3.78

42.59%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.68 $4.68

1.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.85 $12.85

7.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.45 $12.45

15.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.80 $16.80

9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.65 $4.65

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.40 $1.40

41.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.41 $4.41

-7.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.71 $4.71

5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.62 $2.62

1.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.82 $2.82

-5.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.13 $2.13

5.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.55 $2.55

22.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.49 $11.49

20.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.88 $12.88

15.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.22 $2.22

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.23 $3.23

8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.89 $1.89

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.2 $61.2

20.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.34 $3.34

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.99 $1.99

-30.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$27.17 $27.17

-7.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

24.98%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$29.5K $29.5K

-9.64%

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

$194 $194

$208 $208

-6.31%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.4 $57.4

20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.3 $64.3

-4.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$44.88 $44.88

6.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.51 $15.51

14.83%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,422 $1,422

26.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.0K $25.0K

27.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.9 $59.9

11.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.18 $44.18

18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.4 $98.4

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$126 $126

14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,577 $1,577

60.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,375 $1,375

14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,308 $2,308

105.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,146 $2,146

25.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,960 $2,960

41.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,602 $2,602

6.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hilton, NY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Hilton, NY

$1.4K 50.1% 12.9% $203

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Hilton, NY

$402 14.7% 10.1% $45

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Hilton, NY

$332 12.1% 3.6% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Hilton, NY

$329 12% 1.1% $3.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Hilton, NY

$148 5.4% 10% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Hilton, NY

$82 3% 12.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Hilton, NY

$76 2.8% 9.1% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,577 in Hilton, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $66 in Hilton, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $402 – making Hilton, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hilton, NY

🕒 Local time

01:22 1:22 AM

02:22 2:22 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

6,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Hilton, NY 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,744 in Hilton, NY – Hilton, NY comes out roughly 10% 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 $4,116 in Hilton, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilton, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,577 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $66 in Hilton, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,744 in Hilton, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Hilton, NY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Hilton, NY is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 10% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.