Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Staten Island, NY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Staten Island, NY and in Chicago, IL: $2,998 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Staten Island, NY
Learn more

Staten Island, NY Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Staten Island, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,998

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,998 per month in Staten Island, NY vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Staten Island, NY $2,998
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,498 per month in Staten Island, NY vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Staten Island, NY $4,498
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,998 per month in Staten Island, NY vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Staten Island, NY $5,998
Chicago, IL $6,115

Staten Island, NY is about 4% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Staten Island, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Staten Island, NY by 121%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.72 $23.72

$20.65 $20.65

14.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 $88.8

$90.2 $90.2

-1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.47 $13.47

$12.94 $12.94

4.10%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$5.60 $5.60

16.79%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.27 $2.27

-27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.98 $6.98

12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.17 $8.17

$8.83 $8.83

-7.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.27 $1.27

-2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.80 $3.80

29.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.30 $5.30

27.55%

Eggs

$5.84 $5.84

$4.76 $4.76

22.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$13.96 $13.96

24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$14.61 $14.61

-4.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.21 $19.21

$18.77 $18.77

2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$5.19 $5.19

30.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.98 $1.98

76.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.93 $3.93

54.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$4.96 $4.96

37.30%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.76 $2.76

48.19%

Onion (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.76 $2.76

55.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.22 $2.22

25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.98 $2.98

-4.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.80 $17.80

$14.02 $14.02

26.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$15.28 $15.28

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.58 $2.58

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.50 $3.50

4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.47 $2.47

20.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.34 $3.34

-9.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.43 $1.43

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.69 $42.69

$24.32 $24.32

75.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.26 $1.26

-8.73%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-6.98%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.80%

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

$213 $213

$193 $193

10.69%

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

$75.0 $75.0

$68.3 $68.3

9.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$61.3 $61.3

4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$54.1 $54.1

112.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$20.36 $20.36

$17.74 $17.74

14.77%

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

$2,001 $2,001

$1,652 $1,652

21.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-47.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 $71.9

$66.1 $66.1

8.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.12 $37.12

$51.2 $51.2

-27.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$141 $141

-24.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 $1,851

$2,446 $2,446

-24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 $1,423

$1,678 $1,678

-15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,379 $3,379

$4,717 $4,717

-28.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 $2,470

$2,795 $2,795

-11.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,817 $6,817

$4,866 $4,866

40.11%

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 Staten Island, NY: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Staten Island, NY

$1.4K 47.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 17.9% $255

Groceries & Markets

Staten Island, NY

$517 17.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.1% $68

Eating Out

Staten Island, NY

$381 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Staten Island, NY

$352 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 8.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Staten Island, NY

$156 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 42.4% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Staten Island, NY

$143 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 13% $19

Getting Around

Staten Island, NY

$26 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 266% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,851 in Staten Island, NY versus $2,446 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 40% higher in Staten Island, NY, 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 $89.0 in Staten Island, NY versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $517 in Staten Island, NY vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Staten Island, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

23:36 11:36 PM

1 h behind Staten Island, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

495,747

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

Staten Island, NY Chicago, IL 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Staten Island, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,998 in Staten Island, NY, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,497 per month in Staten Island, NY and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Staten Island, NY and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,998 in Staten Island, NY and $3,139 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 $2,998 in Staten Island, NY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Staten Island, NY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.