Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Islip, NY: $1,259 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 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
61

Cost of Living Index in Islip, NY
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Islip, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Islip, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,259

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,259 in Islip, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Islip, NY $1,259

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,207 in Islip, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Islip, NY $2,207

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,154 in Islip, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Islip, NY $3,154

Chicago, IL costs about 141% more than Islip, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Chicago, IL sits 123% above the global median, while Islip, NY is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$26.10 $26.10

-20.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$122 $122

-26.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.05 $14.05

-6.12%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.14 $5.14

10.12%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.85 $2.85

-7.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.77 $7.77

-11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$10.17 $10.17

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.54 $4.54

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.05 $4.05

33.09%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.02 $5.02

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.69 $18.69

-25.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$17.41 $17.41

-17.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.45 $16.45

11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.47 $4.47

16.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.17 $2.17

87.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.91 $2.91

70.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.78 $1.78

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.17 $2.17

22.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.53 $1.53

46.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.10 $1.10

184.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.94 $14.94

-7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.96 $12.96

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.35 $2.35

8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.76 $3.76

-6.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$4.37 $4.37

-44.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.98 $2.98

6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.20 $2.20

-36.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$41.26 $41.26

-39.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.17 $1.17

2.56%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.39%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.03%

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

$194 $194

$80.2 $80.2

142.54%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$71.2 $71.2

-2.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.8 $69.8

-11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$59.6 $59.6

-19.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.83 $15.83

12.51%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$3,537 $3,537

-49.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$61.6K $61.6K

-48.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.55 $44.55

50.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$27.92 $27.92

86.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$75.0 $75.0

35.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$91.4 $91.4

57.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,989 $1,989

27.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,382 $3,382

40.11%

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

$3,975 $3,975

24.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Islip, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Islip, NY

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Islip, NY

$416 33% 7.1% $32

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Islip, NY

$392 31.2% 13.8% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Islip, NY

$221 17.6% 32.1% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Islip, NY

$107 8.5% 34.5% $57

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Islip, NY

$31 * 2.5% 66.3% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Islip, NY

$91 7.3% 9.3% $7.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,989 in Islip, 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 24% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $122 in Islip, NY. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $416 in Islip, NY – so Islip, NY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Islip, NY

🕒 Local time

09:24 9:24 AM

10:24 10:24 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

339,938

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Islip, NY 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,259 in Islip, NY – roughly 141% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,889 in Islip, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Islip, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,989 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $122 in Islip, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islip, NY, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Islip, 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 $1,259 in Islip, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Islip, 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.