Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Oak Park, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Oak Park, IL: $2,585 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Oak Park, IL
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Oak Park, IL Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Oak Park, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,585

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,938 per month in New York, NY vs $2,585 in Oak Park, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $4,938
Oak Park, IL $2,585

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,781 in Oak Park, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Oak Park, IL $3,781

A family of three spends $9,608 per month in New York, NY vs $4,977 in Oak Park, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $9,608
Oak Park, IL $4,977

New York, NY costs about 91% more than Oak Park, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Oak Park, IL sit above the global median – New York, NY by 264%, Oak Park, IL by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$19.82 $19.82

26.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$75.3 $75.3

59.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$11.41 $11.41

20.42%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.47 $5.47

20.66%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.72 $2.72

40.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.96 $1.96

46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$6.04 $6.04

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$7.18 $7.18

40.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.02 $1.02

34.31%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.54 $3.54

34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$4.22 $4.22

82.23%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$4.12 $4.12

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$14.11 $14.11

36.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$11.34 $11.34

57.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$16.89 $16.89

12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$4.97 $4.97

34.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.57 $1.57

45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$4.41 $4.41

45.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$4.47 $4.47

51.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.72 $2.72

44.49%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.75 $2.75

64.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.92 $1.92

45.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.54 $2.54

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$9.26 $9.26

95.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$14.83 $14.83

35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.23 $2.23

46.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.46 $3.46

8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.71 $1.71

70.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.68 $2.68

14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.98 $1.98

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$33.26 $33.26

24.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.04 $1.04

7.69%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

27.71%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

6.59%

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

$219 $219

$198 $198

10.98%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$59.2 $59.2

27.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$70.7 $70.7

-0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$37.92 $37.92

204.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$12.41 $12.41

72.20%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$1,458 $1,458

135.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$23.2K $23.2K

166.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$53.1 $53.1

40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.71 $43.71

19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$87.5 $87.5

33.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$124 $124

8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$1,575 $1,575

175.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$1,312 $1,312

137.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$2,550 $2,550

257.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$2,168 $2,168

148.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$3,118 $3,118

518.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$2,251 $2,251

208.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

$5,703 $5,703

-8.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.57

4.26%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Oak Park, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Oak Park, IL

$1.3K 50.8% 57.9% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Oak Park, IL

$403 15.6% 27.1% $150

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Oak Park, IL

$322 12.5% 20.9% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Oak Park, IL

$328 12.7% 10.3% $38

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Oak Park, IL

$139 5.4% 18.6% $32

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Oak Park, IL

$19 * 0.8% 88.5% $149

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Oak Park, IL

$63 2.4% 60.3% $95

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,347 in New York, NY versus $1,575 in Oak Park, 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 Oak Park, 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 $120 in New York, NY versus $75.0 in Oak Park, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $552 vs $403 – making Oak Park, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Oak Park, IL

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

23:50 11:50 PM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

54,583

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Oak Park, IL 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Oak Park, 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 Oak Park, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 91% more than Oak Park, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,407 per month in New York, NY and $3,877 in Oak Park, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,938 in New York, NY and $2,585 in Oak Park, IL. That's a gap of about 91%.

Kindergarten costs $3,432 per month in New York, NY and $1,458 in Oak Park, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,938 in New York, NY and $2,585 in Oak Park, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Oak Park, IL costs $2,585 versus $4,938 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Oak Park, 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.