Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,950 per month in New York, NY vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $4,950
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $7,265 per month in New York, NY vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $7,265
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $9,581 per month in New York, NY vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $9,581
Chicago, IL $6,077

New York, NY costs about 55% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – New York, NY by 267%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$21.58 $21.58

14.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$88.7 $88.7

37.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$13.20 $13.20

5.38%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.59 $5.59

17.89%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$2.63 $2.63

46.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.26 $2.26

26.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$7.11 $7.11

9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$9.23 $9.23

6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.28 $1.28

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.84 $3.84

21.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$5.07 $5.07

48.72%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$4.84 $4.84

22.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$14.17 $14.17

32.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$14.61 $14.61

18.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$18.76 $18.76

-1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.19 $5.19

29.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.00 $2.00

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.00 $4.00

51.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.98 $4.98

35.34%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.79 $2.79

45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.65 $2.65

64.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.13 $2.13

35.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.09 $3.09

-15.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$16.05 $16.05

16.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$15.20 $15.20

31.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.62 $2.62

24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.46 $3.46

7.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.47 $2.47

23.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$75.1 $75.1

87.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.21 $3.21

-5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.39 $1.39

54.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$25.02 $25.02

67.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.24 $1.24

-9.68%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$37.2K $37.2K

-4.65%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.83%

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

$219 $219

$192 $192

13.90%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$67.8 $67.8

7.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$60.9 $60.9

18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$53.6 $53.6

129.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

$27.90 $27.90

142.54%

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$17.80 $17.80

28.37%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$1,554 $1,554

114.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$31.4K $31.4K

91.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$67.9 $67.9

10.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$50.8 $50.8

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$101 $101

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$143 $143

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$2,383 $2,383

84.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$1,712 $1,712

82.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$4,674 $4,674

90.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$2,738 $2,738

95.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$4,158 $4,158

366.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$2,691 $2,691

152.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$4,894 $4,894

9.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.77

0.74%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 45.3% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 17.2% $94

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 12.5% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 11.9% $43

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 5% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 47% $79

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 42.9% $71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,389 in New York, NY versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. 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 9% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in New York, NY versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $545 vs $451 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:39 3:39 AM

02:39 2:39 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Chicago, IL 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,950 in New York, NY, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in New York, NY and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,950 in New York, NY and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. New York, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $4,950 in New York, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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