Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Syracuse, NY: $2,866 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 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
139

Cost of Living Index in Syracuse, NY
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Syracuse, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Syracuse, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,866

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,866 in Syracuse, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Syracuse, NY $2,866

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,945 in Syracuse, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Syracuse, NY $3,945

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,025 in Syracuse, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Syracuse, NY $5,025

Chicago, IL costs about 6% more than Syracuse, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Syracuse, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Syracuse, NY by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.84 $17.84

16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.4 $76.4

16.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.14 $12.14

8.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.02 $6.02

-5.98%

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

$2.64 $2.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.05 $2.05

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.85 $6.85

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.37 $7.37

19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.90 $0.90

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.31 $3.31

12.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.31 $4.31

25.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.89 $3.89

21.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.15 $11.15

24.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.60 $13.60

5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.66 $17.66

4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.34 $6.34

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 $1.42

39.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.24 $5.24

-22.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.86 $6.86

-27.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.98 $2.98

-10.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.77 $3.77

-29.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.92 $2.92

-23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.61 $2.61

19.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.63 $14.63

-5.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.16 $15.16

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.92 $2.92

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.81 $4.81

-27.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$86.8 $86.8

-15.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.99 $3.99

-20.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.17 $2.17

-35.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.59 $30.59

-18.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.06 $1.06

13.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.8K $30.8K

13.89%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.80%

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

$194 $194

$236 $236

-17.73%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.2 $59.2

17.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.3 $75.3

-18.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$48.94 $48.94

-2.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$32.43 $32.43

-15.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.88 $14.88

19.69%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,680 $1,680

6.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.3K $17.3K

84.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.3 $54.3

23.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.90 $47.90

8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.3 $97.3

4.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,676 $1,676

50.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,405 $1,405

12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,135 $3,135

51.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,839 $1,839

46.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,880 $1,880

122.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,992 $1,992

38.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,600 $3,600

36.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Syracuse, NY: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Syracuse, NY

$1.4K 49% 11% $174

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Syracuse, NY

$439 15.3% 1.9% $8.6

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Syracuse, NY

$319 11.1% 7.5% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Syracuse, NY

$371 12.9% 13.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Syracuse, NY

$144 5% 12% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Syracuse, NY

$109 3.8% 17.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Syracuse, NY

$79 2.8% 5.8% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,676 in Syracuse, 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 37% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Syracuse, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $439 – making Syracuse, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Syracuse, NY

🕒 Local time

19:56 7:56 PM

20:56 8:56 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

148,620

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Syracuse, NY 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,866 in Syracuse, NY – Syracuse, NY comes out roughly 6% 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 $4,298 in Syracuse, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Syracuse, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,676 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Syracuse, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,866 in Syracuse, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Syracuse, NY. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.