Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Smithtown, NY: $2,649 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Smithtown, NY
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Smithtown, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Smithtown, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,649

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,649 in Smithtown, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Smithtown, NY $2,649

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,795 in Smithtown, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Smithtown, NY $3,795

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,940 in Smithtown, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Smithtown, NY $4,940

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Smithtown, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Smithtown, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Smithtown, NY by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.12 $20.12

2.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$49.24 $49.24

81.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.86 $9.86

33.77%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.48 $5.48

3.28%

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

$1.59 $1.59

43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.15 $8.15

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.13 $8.13

8.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.29 $1.29

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.36 $4.36

-14.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.53 $7.53

-28.42%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.84 $5.84

-18.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.57 $12.57

10.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.06 $6.06

137.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.98 $16.98

8.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.36 $5.36

-2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.78 $1.78

11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.23 $6.23

-34.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.31 $6.31

-21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.39 $5.39

-50.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.83 $3.83

-30.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.79 $2.79

-19.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.89 $2.89

8.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.80 $11.80

17.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$24.19 $24.19

-38.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.30 $5.30

-33.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.80 $1.80

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$52.2 $52.2

40.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.93 $2.93

8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.08 $2.08

-33.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.88 $23.88

4.82%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

27.58%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.89%

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

$194 $194

$209 $209

-6.88%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$73.1 $73.1

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$55.4 $55.4

11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$44.46 $44.46

7.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.95 $11.95

49.04%

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

35.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.71 $40.71

64.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$57.3 $57.3

-8.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$59.8 $59.8

69.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$81.0 $81.0

77.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,539 $1,539

64.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,275 $1,275

23.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,491 $2,491

90.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,060 $2,060

30.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,677 $2,677

56.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,414 $2,414

14.67%

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 Smithtown, NY: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Smithtown, NY

$1.3K 48.1% 19.2% $303

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Smithtown, NY

$460 17.4% 2.8% $13

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Smithtown, NY

$328 12.4% 4.8% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Smithtown, NY

$337 12.7% 3.6% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Smithtown, NY

$107 4.1% 34.5% $57

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Smithtown, NY

$73 2.7% 22.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Smithtown, NY

$68 2.6% 18.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,539 in Smithtown, 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 $49 in Smithtown, NY. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $460 in Smithtown, NY – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Smithtown, NY

🕒 Local time

08:19 8:19 AM

09:19 9:19 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

116,296

💱 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 Smithtown, NY 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,649 in Smithtown, NY – roughly 15% 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 $3,974 in Smithtown, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Smithtown, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,539 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $49 in Smithtown, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,649 in Smithtown, 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 $2,649 in Smithtown, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.