Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Huntington, NY: $2,824 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Huntington, NY
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Huntington, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Huntington, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,824

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,824 in Huntington, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Huntington, NY $2,824

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,147 in Huntington, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Huntington, NY $4,147

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,470 in Huntington, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Huntington, NY $5,470

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

Both Chicago, IL and Huntington, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Huntington, NY by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$24.92 $24.92

-17.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$72.1 $72.1

25.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.17 $11.17

15.85%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.65 $5.65

-0.88%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.12 $2.12

24.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.58 $1.58

43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.20 $8.20

-14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.04 $8.04

9.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.08 $1.08

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.50 $2.50

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$7.02 $7.02

-24.50%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.23 $5.23

-8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.37 $12.37

12.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.76 $11.76

24.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.64 $13.64

37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.42 $4.42

17.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.21 $6.21

-36.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.85 $4.85

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.27 $3.27

-15.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.70 $3.70

-25.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.94 $1.94

14.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.71 $1.71

74.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.53 $11.53

21.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$20.20 $20.20

-24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.75 $1.75

47.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.52 $3.52

-0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.90 $1.90

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$197 $197

-62.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.04 $3.04

9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.07 $2.07

-30.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$9.91 $9.91

145.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.19%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.81%

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

$193 $193

$208 $208

-7.28%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$74.2 $74.2

-7.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.0 $66.0

-7.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.48 $41.48

30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.42 $14.42

23.02%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,253 $2,253

-26.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.9K $23.9K

30.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$25.13 $25.13

162.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$56.9 $56.9

-9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$75.9 $75.9

31.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$101 $101

40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,259 $2,259

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,295 $1,295

29.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,510 $2,510

87.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,168 $2,168

28.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,379 $2,379

72.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,267 $2,267

16.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,146 $4,146

17.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

13.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Huntington, NY: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Huntington, NY

$1.3K 45.8% 22.8% $383

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Huntington, NY

$405 14.3% 9.9% $44

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Huntington, NY

$373 13.2% 8.5% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Huntington, NY

$348 12.3% 8% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Huntington, NY

$116 4.1% 27.9% $45

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Huntington, NY

$218 7.7% 129% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Huntington, NY

$70 2.5% 21.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,259 in Huntington, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $72.0 in Huntington, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $405 – making Huntington, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Huntington, NY

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

04:48 4:48 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

49,138

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Huntington, NY 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,824 in Huntington, NY – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,237 in Huntington, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huntington, NY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $72.0 in Huntington, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,824 in Huntington, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,824 in Huntington, NY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Huntington, 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.