Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hempstead, NY: $1,474 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Hempstead, NY
Learn more

Hempstead, NY Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,474

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hempstead, NY and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hempstead, NY and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,474 per month in Hempstead, NY vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hempstead, NY $1,474
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,319 per month in Hempstead, NY vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hempstead, NY $2,319
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,164 per month in Hempstead, NY vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hempstead, NY $3,164
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hempstead, NY is about 51% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hempstead, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hempstead, NY by 8%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.94 $19.94

$20.71 $20.71

-3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$89.2 $89.2

-14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$13.19 $13.19

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$5.66 $5.66

-9.19%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.64 $2.64

10.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.28 $2.28

2.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$6.87 $6.87

-11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$8.84 $8.84

-7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.25 $1.25

0.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.72 $3.72

-55.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$5.39 $5.39

-54.55%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$4.74 $4.74

-23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 $9.56

$13.84 $13.84

-30.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

$14.40 $14.40

-15.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.13 $12.13

$18.38 $18.38

-34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$5.22 $5.22

-42.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$4.06 $4.06

-55.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.97 $4.97

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.67 $2.67

7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.66 $2.66

-1.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.24 $2.24

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.13 $3.13

-20.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.96 $11.96

$13.82 $13.82

-13.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$14.88 $14.88

1.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.54 $2.54

-8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.51 $3.51

25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.43 $2.43

20.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$73.5 $73.5

77.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.18 $3.18

-9.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.39 $1.39

-54.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.40 $24.40

$25.03 $25.03

-2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.20 $1.20

-5.00%

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

$31.7K $31.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-9.50%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.30%

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

$230 $230

$194 $194

18.32%

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

$64.4 $64.4

$69.5 $69.5

-7.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$61.6 $61.6

8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$47.90 $47.90

134.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$17.81 $17.81

-16.45%

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

$2,082 $2,082

$1,794 $1,794

16.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.5K $42.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

32.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.96 $48.96

$67.0 $67.0

-26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.40 $44.40

$52.1 $52.1

-14.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$144 $144

-1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.81

-2.20%

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

Last update for Hempstead, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hempstead, NY

$361 24.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.9% $36

Groceries & Markets

Hempstead, NY

$344 23.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 30.2% $104

Eating Out

Hempstead, NY

$327 22.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 5.5% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Hempstead, NY

$152 10.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 8.1% $12

Getting Around

Hempstead, NY

$148 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 37% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Hempstead, NY

$142 9.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 41.1% $58

Accommodation & Living

Hempstead, NY

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Hempstead, NY versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $447 – making Hempstead, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:00 4:00 PM

15:00 3:00 PM

1 h behind Hempstead, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

793,409

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hempstead, NY Chicago, IL 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Hempstead, NY
Chicago, IL

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,474 in Hempstead, NY, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Hempstead, NY comes out roughly 51% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,210 per month in Hempstead, NY and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hempstead, NY, where all-in costs run around $1,474, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Hempstead, NY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,474 in Hempstead, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.