Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Oyster Bay, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Oyster Bay, NY: $2,789 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Oyster Bay, NY
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Oyster Bay, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Oyster Bay, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,789

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,789 in Oyster Bay, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Oyster Bay, NY $2,789

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,148 in Oyster Bay, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Oyster Bay, NY $4,148

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,507 in Oyster Bay, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Oyster Bay, NY $5,507

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Oyster Bay, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Oyster Bay, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Oyster Bay, NY by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$24.67 $24.67

-17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$101 $101

-12.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$13.09 $13.09

-1.83%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.43 $5.43

6.45%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.24 $2.24

22.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.58 $1.58

43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$9.14 $9.14

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.11 $8.11

13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.30 $1.30

-3.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.25 $4.25

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.05 $6.05

-11.07%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.98 $5.98

-23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$14.16 $14.16

-3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.24 $10.24

37.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$20.11 $20.11

-10.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.45 $5.45

-5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.74 $1.74

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.24 $4.24

-8.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.26 $5.26

-8.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.98 $2.98

-5.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.36 $3.36

-20.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.92 $2.92

-29.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.93 $2.93

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.67 $11.67

19.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.13 $15.13

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.77 $1.77

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.56 $3.56

-3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.29 $2.29

6.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$66.8 $66.8

12.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.95 $2.95

7.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.10 $2.10

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$23.60 $23.60

5.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.16 $1.16

10.34%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

28.64%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

1.26%

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

$192 $192

$216 $216

-11.29%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$74.3 $74.3

-6.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$66.1 $66.1

-5.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.46 $39.46

21.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.24 $15.24

16.99%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,732 $1,732

4.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.5K $20.5K

98.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$49.05 $49.05

34.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$58.5 $58.5

-12.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.2 $88.2

17.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$148 $148

-3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,588 $1,588

59.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,292 $1,292

25.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,544 $2,544

89.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,107 $2,107

29.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,751 $2,751

51.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,351 $2,351

15.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$6,945 $6,945

-29.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.72

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Oyster Bay, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Oyster Bay, NY

$1.3K 46.3% 20.3% $329

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Oyster Bay, NY

$447 16% 1.9% $8.1

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Oyster Bay, NY

$379 13.6% 10.2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Oyster Bay, NY

$357 12.8% 10.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Oyster Bay, NY

$155 5.6% 5.4% $8.9

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Oyster Bay, NY

$89 3.2% 7.6% $7.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Oyster Bay, NY

$70 2.5% 16.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,588 in Oyster Bay, 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 41% higher in Oyster Bay, NY, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Oyster Bay, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Oyster Bay, NY

🕒 Local time

08:43 8:43 AM

09:43 9:43 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

301,332

💱 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 Oyster Bay, NY 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,789 in Oyster Bay, NY – Oyster Bay, NY comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,184 in Oyster Bay, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oyster Bay, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,588 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Oyster Bay, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Oyster Bay, NY. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,789 in Oyster Bay, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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