Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaumburg, IL and Syracuse, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaumburg, IL and Syracuse, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,307 in Schaumburg, IL versus $2,974 in Syracuse, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,509 in Schaumburg, IL versus $4,347 in Syracuse, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,711 in Schaumburg, IL versus $5,721 in Syracuse, NY.

Living in Schaumburg, IL is roughly 11% more expensive than Syracuse, NY, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaumburg, IL 147% above, Syracuse, NY 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.16 $15.16

$16.66 $16.66

-9.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$93.5 $93.5

5.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 $13.07

$11.34 $11.34

15.26%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$5.94 $5.94

-18.18%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.27 $2.27

14.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.94 $1.94

19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 $4.60

$6.85 $6.85

-32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$7.65 $7.65

-20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.94 $0.94

-12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.90 $3.90

2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$5.64 $5.64

35.82%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$4.62 $4.62

-11.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$12.65 $12.65

16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$13.01 $13.01

6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 $17.90

$17.38 $17.38

2.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$5.62 $5.62

-4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.27 $1.27

138.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.34 $5.34

-9.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$6.08 $6.08

-31.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.02 $4.02

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.85 $3.85

-15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.86 $2.86

-29.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.51 $2.51

37.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.92 $17.92

$12.46 $12.46

43.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 $19.47

$14.87 $14.87

30.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.03 $3.03

-41.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 $5.47

$4.85 $4.85

12.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.68 $2.68

-26.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 $112

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.86 $3.86

-8.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.97 $1.97

-15.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$29.44 $29.44

0.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.91 $0.91

-1.10%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$28.9K $28.9K

-8.72%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$25.5K $25.5K

15.25%

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

$333 $333

$235 $235

41.50%

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

$77.3 $77.3

$58.7 $58.7

31.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 $161

$74.7 $74.7

114.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 $62.3

$52.1 $52.1

19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.13 $40.13

$35.02 $35.02

14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$19.73 $19.73

$15.05 $15.05

31.10%

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

$1,279 $1,279

$1,696 $1,696

-24.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$82.4K $82.4K

$17.8K $17.8K

362.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 $73.0

$53.9 $53.9

35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$48.01 $48.01

5.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$94.3 $94.3

7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$120 $120

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 $1,904

$1,732 $1,732

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,476 $1,476

13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 $2,559

$3,510 $3,510

-27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,375 $2,375

$2,458 $2,458

-3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 $2,159

$1,724 $1,724

25.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 $2,068

$1,914 $1,914

8.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,871 $4,871

$3,627 $3,627

34.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.42

-0.93%

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

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: April 22, 2026

Last update for Syracuse, NY: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,904 in Schaumburg, IL and $1,732 in Syracuse, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaumburg, IL pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98 in Schaumburg, IL vs $93 in Syracuse, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $448 per month, with Syracuse, NY cheaper across the board.

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

Schaumburg, IL vs Syracuse, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Syracuse, NY wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Schaumburg, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Syracuse, NY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Schaumburg, IL pays 34% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,904 in Schaumburg, IL versus $1,732 in Syracuse, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,279 in Schaumburg, IL versus $1,696 in Syracuse, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Syracuse, NY – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $98.0 in Schaumburg, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Syracuse, NY is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Syracuse, NY delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,974 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Syracuse, NY hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Schaumburg, IL and Syracuse, NY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Syracuse, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Schaumburg, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.