Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Queensbury, NY: $2,475 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Queensbury, NY
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Queensbury, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Queensbury, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,475

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,475 in Queensbury, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Queensbury, NY $2,475

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,541 in Queensbury, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Queensbury, NY $3,541

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,606 in Queensbury, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Queensbury, NY $4,606

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Queensbury, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Queensbury, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Queensbury, NY by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.06 $16.06

28.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$32.63 $32.63

173.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.56 $7.56

74.47%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.15 $5.15

9.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.76 $2.76

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.52 $2.52

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.83 $5.83

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.85 $8.85

-0.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.90 $0.90

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.82 $3.82

-2.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.45 $4.45

21.12%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.16 $6.16

-23.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.74 $10.74

28.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.68 $10.68

34.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.70 $18.70

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.40 $5.40

-3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.33 $3.33

21.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.11 $3.11

59.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.25 $2.25

18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.37 $2.37

12.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.77 $2.77

-19.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.83 $2.83

10.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.79 $13.79

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.91 $16.91

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.82 $1.82

39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.75 $2.75

27.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.14 $2.14

13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.9 $58.9

24.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.93 $5.93

-46.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.99 $1.99

-30.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$28.79 $28.79

-13.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.08 $1.08

11.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.42%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.45%

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

$194 $194

$178 $178

9.32%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$37.55 $37.55

84.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.5 $59.5

3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$37.38 $37.38

28.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.08 $11.08

60.74%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,151 $2,151

-16.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.9K $23.9K

33.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$39.21 $39.21

70.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$16.38 $16.38

218.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.8 $99.8

1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$104 $104

38.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,580 $1,580

59.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,259 $1,259

25.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,548 $2,548

85.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,100 $2,100

28.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,911 $2,911

43.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,127 $2,127

30.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Queensbury, NY: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Queensbury, NY

$1.3K 50.8% 20.2% $319

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Queensbury, NY

$402 16.2% 10.2% $46

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Queensbury, NY

$281 11.4% 18.6% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Queensbury, NY

$275 11.1% 15.6% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Queensbury, NY

$117 4.7% 28.9% $47

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Queensbury, NY

$83 3.4% 10.8% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Queensbury, NY

$60 2.4% 28.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,580 in Queensbury, 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 $33 in Queensbury, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $402 – making Queensbury, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Queensbury, NY

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

00:03 12:03 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

29,169

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Queensbury, NY 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,475 in Queensbury, NY – Queensbury, NY comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,713 in Queensbury, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Queensbury, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,580 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $33 in Queensbury, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Queensbury, NY, where all-in costs run around $2,475, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Queensbury, 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 $2,475 in Queensbury, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Queensbury, NY is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.