Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Staten Island, NY

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Staten Island, NY: $3,037 and $3,006 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Staten Island, NY
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Staten Island, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Staten Island, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,006 in Staten Island, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Staten Island, NY $3,006

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,490 in Staten Island, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Staten Island, NY $4,490

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,974 in Staten Island, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Staten Island, NY $5,974

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

Both Chicago, IL and Staten Island, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Staten Island, NY by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$23.28 $23.28

-11.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$89.1 $89.1

0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.60 $13.60

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.74 $6.74

-16.02%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.58 $2.58

2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.65 $1.65

38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.04 $8.04

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.98 $7.98

10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.24 $1.24

0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.94 $4.94

-24.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.42 $6.42

-16.04%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.96 $5.96

-20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$17.57 $17.57

-21.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.89 $13.89

3.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.69 $19.69

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.52 $6.52

-19.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.55 $3.55

-44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.70 $6.70

-39.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$7.03 $7.03

-29.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.35 $4.35

-38.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.38 $4.38

-39.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.92 $2.92

-23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.81 $2.81

11.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$19.04 $19.04

-27.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.77 $14.77

0.74%

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

$3.52 $3.52

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.94 $2.94

-17.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.93 $2.93

8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.16 $2.16

-35.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$42.42 $42.42

-40.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.15 $1.15

4.35%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.0K $34.0K

3.08%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.29%

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

$194 $194

$224 $224

-13.11%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$74.3 $74.3

-6.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.4 $64.4

-4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$116 $116

-58.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$20.64 $20.64

-13.71%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,994 $1,994

-10.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.3K $16.3K

96.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$72.3 $72.3

-7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.91 $37.91

37.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$105 $105

-3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$107 $107

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,855 $1,855

36.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,414 $1,414

11.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,364 $3,364

40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,420 $2,420

11.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,788 $6,788

-27.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.8

0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Staten Island, NY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Staten Island, NY

$1.4K 47% 10.4% $164

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Staten Island, NY

$521 17.3% 16.5% $74

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Staten Island, NY

$381 12.7% 10.4% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Staten Island, NY

$362 12.1% 11.3% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Staten Island, NY

$145 4.8% 11.5% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Staten Island, NY

$25 * 0.9% 72.7% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Staten Island, NY

$157 5.2% 87.8% $73

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,855 in Staten Island, 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 38% higher in Staten Island, NY. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $89 in Staten Island, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $521 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Staten Island, NY

🕒 Local time

03:24 3:24 AM

04:24 4:24 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

495,747

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Staten Island, NY 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,508 in Staten Island, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Staten Island, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,855 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,994 in Staten Island, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,006 in Staten Island, 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 $3,006 in Staten Island, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.