Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ithaca, NY: $2,893 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Ithaca, NY
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Ithaca, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Ithaca, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,893

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,893 in Ithaca, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Ithaca, NY $2,893

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,843 in Ithaca, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Ithaca, NY $3,843

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,792 in Ithaca, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Ithaca, NY $4,792

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Ithaca, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Ithaca, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Ithaca, NY by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.77 $22.77

-9.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.3 $79.3

12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.83 $10.83

21.79%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.09 $5.09

11.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.63 $2.63

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.06 $5.06

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.39 $9.39

-5.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.21 $3.21

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.09 $7.09

-23.98%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.96 $3.96

19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.66 $14.66

-5.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.50 $6.50

121.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.45 $15.45

18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.85 $4.85

7.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 $1.68

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.45 $5.45

-25.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.82 $4.82

3.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.15 $3.15

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.72 $3.72

-28.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.29 $2.29

-2.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.06 $2.06

51.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.69 $14.69

-5.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.20 $14.20

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.85 $1.85

37.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.00 $4.00

-12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.54 $1.54

57.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.49 $45.49

61.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.98 $4.98

-36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.42 $1.42

-2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.46 $29.46

-15.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.06 $1.06

13.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

29.05%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.26%

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

$194 $194

$167 $167

16.35%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$46.41 $46.41

49.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.5 $50.5

22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.65 $34.65

38.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.82 $10.82

64.60%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,518 $1,518

18.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.9K $16.9K

89.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.25 $47.25

41.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.06 $39.06

33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.2 $81.2

24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$107 $107

34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,256 $2,256

11.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,661 $1,661

-5.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,044 $3,044

55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,997 $1,997

34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,681 $2,681

56.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,035 $2,035

36.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,468 $3,468

42.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.46

5.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ithaca, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Ithaca, NY

$1.7K 57.4% 5.3% $83

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Ithaca, NY

$386 13.3% 13.7% $61

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Ithaca, NY

$339 11.7% 1.9% $6.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Ithaca, NY

$264 9.1% 18.9% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Ithaca, NY

$124 4.3% 24.7% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Ithaca, NY

$64 2.2% 31.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Ithaca, NY

$56 2% 32.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,256 in Ithaca, 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 42% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Ithaca, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $386 – making Ithaca, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ithaca, NY

🕒 Local time

04:18 4:18 AM

05:18 5:18 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

22,283

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Ithaca, NY 910 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,893 in Ithaca, NY – Ithaca, NY comes out roughly 5% 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 $4,340 in Ithaca, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ithaca, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,256 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Ithaca, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

If budget matters most, go with Ithaca, NY. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.