Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Kingston, NY: $3,037 and $3,082 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
148

Cost of Living Index in Kingston, NY
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Kingston, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kingston, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,082

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,082 in Kingston, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kingston, NY $3,082

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,513 in Kingston, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kingston, NY $4,513

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,943 in Kingston, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kingston, NY $5,943

Chicago, IL and Kingston, NY have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Kingston, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Kingston, NY by 126%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.17 $25.17

-17.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.5 $78.5

13.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.86 $14.86

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.17 $6.17

-8.27%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.67 $2.67

-1.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.11 $8.11

-15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.93 $8.93

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.98 $0.98

27.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.72 $4.72

-21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.59 $6.59

-18.21%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.48 $4.48

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.84 $15.84

-12.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.65 $10.65

35.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.20 $17.20

6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.80 $4.80

8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.27 $1.27

55.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.73 $4.73

-14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.74 $6.74

-26.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.77 $3.77

-29.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.39 $3.39

-21.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.54 $2.54

-11.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.86 $1.86

68.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$16.96 $16.96

-18.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.17 $15.17

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.94 $1.94

30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.48 $3.48

0.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.09 $2.09

16.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.1 $61.1

20.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.19 $3.19

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.82 $1.82

-23.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$26.48 $26.48

-5.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.5K $31.5K

11.40%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.68%

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

$194 $194

$210 $210

-7.59%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$67.2 $67.2

3.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$79.0 $79.0

-21.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$43.10 $43.10

11.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$58.9 $58.9

-53.61%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.95 $14.95

19.13%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,452 $2,452

-26.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.2K $23.2K

37.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.02 $49.02

36.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$29.80 $29.80

74.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.9 $81.9

23.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$77.3 $77.3

86.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,861 $1,861

35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,630 $1,630

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,292 $3,292

43.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,715 $2,715

-0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,221 $3,221

30.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,238 $3,238

-14.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,109 $3,109

58.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.68

1.95%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kingston, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kingston, NY

$1.6K 52.9% 3.3% $52

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kingston, NY

$435 14.1% 2.7% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kingston, NY

$399 12.9% 15.6% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kingston, NY

$357 11.6% 9.5% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kingston, NY

$107 3.5% 34.7% $57

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kingston, NY

$82 2.7% 12.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kingston, NY

$73 2.4% 12.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,861 in Kingston, 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 59% 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 Kingston, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $435 – making Kingston, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kingston, NY

🕒 Local time

06:28 6:28 AM

07:28 7:28 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

23,436

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Kingston, NY 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,623 in Kingston, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kingston, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,861 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

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

Public transport costs about 17% less in Kingston, NY. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,082 in Kingston, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $3,082 in Kingston, NY. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.