Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, NY: $2,362 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, NY
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Rochester, NY Living Index
147

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

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Rochester, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,362

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,362 per month in Rochester, NY vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rochester, NY $2,362
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,377 per month in Rochester, NY vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rochester, NY $3,377
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,392 per month in Rochester, NY vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rochester, NY $4,392
Chicago, IL $5,999

Rochester, NY is about 22% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rochester, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rochester, NY by 74%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.23 $22.23

$20.71 $20.71

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$89.2 $89.2

-15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 $9.99

$13.19 $13.19

-24.26%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.66 $5.66

-1.77%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.64 $2.64

5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.28 $2.28

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.87 $6.87

-34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$8.84 $8.84

-31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.25 $1.25

-39.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.72 $3.72

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$5.39 $5.39

2.78%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$4.74 $4.74

-17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 $10.65

$13.84 $13.84

-23.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 $7.86

$14.40 $14.40

-45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$18.38 $18.38

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$5.22 $5.22

-28.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.98 $1.98

-40.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.06 $4.06

39.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.97 $4.97

-1.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.67 $2.67

35.21%

Onion (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.66 $2.66

61.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.24 $2.24

-4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.13 $3.13

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.78 $14.78

$13.82 $13.82

6.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 $10.05

$14.88 $14.88

-32.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.54 $2.54

-5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.51 $3.51

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.43 $2.43

-58.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.9 $56.9

$73.5 $73.5

-22.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.18 $3.18

-19.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.39 $1.39

35.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.29 $21.29

$25.03 $25.03

-14.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.20 $1.20

-12.50%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.20%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.52%

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

$143 $143

$194 $194

-26.38%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$69.5 $69.5

-23.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$61.6 $61.6

16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 $31.42

$47.90 $47.90

-34.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.54 $44.54

$27.34 $27.34

62.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.59 $12.59

$17.81 $17.81

-29.31%

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

$1,361 $1,361

$1,794 $1,794

-24.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K $28.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-10.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.39 $41.39

$67.0 $67.0

-38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 $32.73

$52.1 $52.1

-37.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$102 $102

-16.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 $87.1

$144 $144

-39.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 $1,469

$2,526 $2,526

-41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 $1,160

$1,578 $1,578

-26.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 $2,255

$4,738 $4,738

-52.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$2,693 $2,693

-39.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,593 $1,593

$4,190 $4,190

-61.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,453 $1,453

$2,768 $2,768

-47.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,950 $3,950

$4,931 $4,931

-19.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.81

-0.15%

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

Last update for Rochester, 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.

Accommodation & Living

Rochester, NY

$1.2K 49.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 36% $418

Groceries & Markets

Rochester, NY

$363 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 23.2% $84

Eating Out

Rochester, NY

$330 14%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4.5% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rochester, NY

$268 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 21.4% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Rochester, NY

$111 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 48% $53

Getting Around

Rochester, NY

$73 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 28% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Rochester, NY

$57 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 47.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Rochester, NY versus $2,526 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 25% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $75 in Rochester, NY versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $447 – making Rochester, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rochester, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:55 7:55 PM

18:55 6:55 PM

1 h behind Rochester, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,328

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Rochester, NY Chicago, IL 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Rochester, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,362 in Rochester, NY, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Rochester, NY comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,543 per month in Rochester, NY and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rochester, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,469 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Rochester, NY and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,362 in Rochester, NY and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. 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 $2,362 in Rochester, NY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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