Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Port Jefferson Station, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Jefferson Station, NY: $2,833 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Port Jefferson Station, NY
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Port Jefferson Station, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Port Jefferson Station, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,833

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,833 in Port Jefferson Station, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Port Jefferson Station, NY $2,833

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,012 in Port Jefferson Station, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Port Jefferson Station, NY $4,012

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,192 in Port Jefferson Station, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Port Jefferson Station, NY $5,192

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Port Jefferson Station, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Port Jefferson Station, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Port Jefferson Station, NY by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.68 $24.68

-16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$97.9 $97.9

-8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.06 $8.06

63.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.93 $4.93

14.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.19 $2.19

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.60 $1.60

42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.07 $8.07

-14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.85 $7.85

12.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.32 $1.32

-5.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.36 $4.36

-14.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.51 $7.51

-28.23%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.90 $5.90

-19.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.54 $12.54

10.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.94 $11.94

20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.04 $17.04

7.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.27 $5.27

-0.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.72 $1.72

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.25 $6.25

-35.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.07 $6.07

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.48 $5.48

-51.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.82 $3.82

-30.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.78 $2.78

-19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.80 $2.80

11.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.50 $11.50

20.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$24.78 $24.78

-39.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.27 $5.27

-33.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.06 $2.06

17.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$64.7 $64.7

13.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.93 $2.93

8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.02 $2.02

-31.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.14 $24.14

3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

25.14%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.69%

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

$194 $194

$196 $196

-0.82%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$73.7 $73.7

-5.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.8 $64.8

-4.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.56 $40.56

18.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.58 $14.58

22.15%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,443 $2,443

-26.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.6K $23.6K

35.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.74 $40.74

64.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$57.0 $57.0

-8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$75.1 $75.1

35.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$156 $156

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,558 $1,558

62.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,354 $1,354

16.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,460 $2,460

92.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,825 $1,825

47.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,681 $2,681

56.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,265 $2,265

22.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.75

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Port Jefferson Station, NY: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$1.4K 47.8% 14.2% $224

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$489 17.3% 9.2% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$352 12.4% 2% $7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$334 11.8% 2.7% $8.9

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$148 5.2% 9.7% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$86 3% 7.9% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Port Jefferson Station, NY

$70 2.5% 16.5% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,558 in Port Jefferson Station, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $98 in Port Jefferson Station, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $489 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Port Jefferson Station, NY

🕒 Local time

09:26 9:26 AM

10:26 10:26 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Port Jefferson Station, NY 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Port Jefferson Station, 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 Port Jefferson Station, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,833 in Port Jefferson Station, NY – roughly 7% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,249 in Port Jefferson Station, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Jefferson Station, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,558 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $98 in Port Jefferson Station, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,833 in Port Jefferson Station, 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 $2,833 in Port Jefferson Station, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.