Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,532 in Yonkers, NY, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 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
171

Cost of Living Index in Yonkers, NY
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Yonkers, NY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Yonkers, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,532

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,532 in Yonkers, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Yonkers, NY $3,532

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,142 in Yonkers, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Yonkers, NY $5,142

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,751 in Yonkers, NY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Yonkers, NY $6,751

Chicago, IL is about 14% cheaper than Yonkers, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Yonkers, NY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Yonkers, NY by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.78 $24.78

-16.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$101 $101

-11.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.06 $11.06

19.26%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.43 $2.43

8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.86 $1.86

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.03 $8.03

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.91 $7.91

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.47 $1.47

-14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.32 $4.32

-13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.00 $7.00

-23.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.35 $5.35

-11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.23 $12.23

13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.34 $12.34

16.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.48 $17.48

5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.35 $5.35

-2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.54 $1.54

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.49 $5.49

-26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.74 $5.74

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.03 $3.03

-11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.21 $3.21

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.49 $2.49

-10.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.46 $2.46

27.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.93 $11.93

15.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.28 $19.28

-22.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.32 $4.32

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.91 $2.91

-16.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$131 $131

-43.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.09 $3.09

2.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.59 $1.59

-12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.38 $24.38

2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.12 $1.12

7.14%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

25.92%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.62%

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

$194 $194

$222 $222

-12.60%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$66.4 $66.4

4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.6 $66.6

-7.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$90.2 $90.2

-46.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$7.86 $7.86

247.84%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.17 $15.17

17.40%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,118 $2,118

-15.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$42.2K $42.2K

-24.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.62 $44.62

50.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.25 $43.25

20.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.7 $84.7

19.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$153 $153

-5.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,926 $1,926

31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,929 $1,929

-18.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,038 $3,038

55.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,145 $3,145

-14.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,735 $3,735

12.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,736 $2,736

1.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,321 $4,321

14.10%

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 Yonkers, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Yonkers, NY

$1.9K 54.6% 22.2% $351

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Yonkers, NY

$455 12.9% 1.8% $8.1

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Yonkers, NY

$372 10.5% 7.9% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Yonkers, NY

$355 10.1% 9.2% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Yonkers, NY

$146 4.1% 10.8% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Yonkers, NY

$153 4.3% 64.1% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Yonkers, NY

$121 3.4% 44.3% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,926 in Yonkers, 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 14% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Yonkers, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $455 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Yonkers, NY

🕒 Local time

15:04 3:04 PM

16:04 4:04 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

211,569

💱 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 Yonkers, NY 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,532 in Yonkers, NY – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,298 in Yonkers, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yonkers, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,926 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Yonkers, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,532 in Yonkers, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,532 in Yonkers, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.