Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waccabuc, NY: $2,835 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Waccabuc, NY
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Waccabuc, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Waccabuc, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,835 in Waccabuc, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Waccabuc, NY $2,835

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,235 in Waccabuc, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Waccabuc, NY $4,235

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,635 in Waccabuc, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Waccabuc, NY $5,635

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Waccabuc, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Waccabuc, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Waccabuc, NY by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$24.62 $24.62

-17.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$102 $102

-13.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.89 $10.89

18.00%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.34 $5.34

8.24%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.13 $2.13

28.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.54 $1.54

46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$8.20 $8.20

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.11 $8.11

13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.31 $1.31

-3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.20 $4.20

-15.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.78 $7.78

-30.85%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.71 $5.71

-20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.61 $12.61

8.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$15.99 $15.99

-12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.93 $16.93

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.45 $5.45

-5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.72 $1.72

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.29 $6.29

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.18 $6.18

-21.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.57 $5.57

-49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.90 $3.90

-31.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.93 $2.93

-29.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.82 $2.82

7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.55 $11.55

20.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$24.87 $24.87

-39.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.71 $1.71

53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.37 $5.37

-35.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.06 $2.06

17.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$63.8 $63.8

17.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.04 $3.04

4.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.01 $2.01

-15.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$23.80 $23.80

4.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.15 $1.15

11.30%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.33%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.41%

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

$192 $192

$215 $215

-10.66%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$75.2 $75.2

-7.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$65.2 $65.2

-4.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$41.71 $41.71

14.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.22 $14.22

25.39%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,425 $2,425

-25.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$34.7K $34.7K

17.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$41.33 $41.33

60.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$57.3 $57.3

-10.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$75.2 $75.2

37.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$158 $158

-9.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,347 $1,347

87.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,299 $1,299

24.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,371 $2,371

103.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,148 $2,148

27.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,817 $2,817

47.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,157 $2,157

26.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.92

-2.02%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Waccabuc, NY: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Waccabuc, NY

$1.3K 45.8% 19.9% $322

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Waccabuc, NY

$510 18% 16.2% $71

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Waccabuc, NY

$366 12.9% 6.3% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Waccabuc, NY

$355 12.5% 9.7% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Waccabuc, NY

$149 5.3% 8.7% $14

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Waccabuc, NY

$85 3% 11.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Waccabuc, NY

$70 2.5% 15.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,347 in Waccabuc, 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 $102 in Waccabuc, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $510 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waccabuc, NY

🕒 Local time

03:16 3:16 AM

04:16 4:16 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Waccabuc, NY 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,835 in Waccabuc, NY – Waccabuc, NY comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,253 in Waccabuc, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waccabuc, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,347 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $102 in Waccabuc, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,835 in Waccabuc, 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 $2,835 in Waccabuc, NY to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.