Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Syracuse, NY: $3,009 a month against $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Schaumburg, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Syracuse, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$3,009
/mo nomad
Schaumburg, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,270
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Syracuse, NY and in Schaumburg, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Syracuse, NY and in Schaumburg, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Syracuse, NY versus $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL.

  • Syracuse, NY $3,009
  • Schaumburg, IL $3,270

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,141 in Syracuse, NY versus $4,555 in Schaumburg, IL.

  • Syracuse, NY $4,141
  • Schaumburg, IL $4,555

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,273 in Syracuse, NY versus $5,840 in Schaumburg, IL.

  • Syracuse, NY $5,273
  • Schaumburg, IL $5,840

Living in Syracuse, NY costs roughly 8% less than in Schaumburg, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Syracuse, NY 122% above, Schaumburg, IL 141% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.10 $18.10
$15.02 $15.02
20.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.9 $75.9
$101 $101
-24.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.05 $12.05
$13.24 $13.24
-8.99%
Cappuccino
$6.08 $6.08
$4.80 $4.80
26.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.56 $2.56
7.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.22 $2.22
-8.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.79 $6.79
$4.53 $4.53
49.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.55 $7.55
$6.13 $6.13
23.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 $0.90
$0.86 $0.86
4.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.42 $3.42
$4.16 $4.16
-17.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$7.50 $7.50
-39.73%
Eggs
$4.07 $4.07
$4.04 $4.04
0.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 $11.24
$14.89 $14.89
-24.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.75 $13.75
$13.54 $13.54
1.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.05 $18.05
$17.42 $17.42
3.62%
Apples (1kg)
$6.25 $6.25
$5.36 $5.36
16.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 $1.37
$3.06 $3.06
-55.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$4.83 $4.83
8.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.04 $7.04
$4.08 $4.08
72.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.90 $2.90
$3.34 $3.34
-13.17%
Onion (1kg)
$3.78 $3.78
$3.26 $3.26
15.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.02 $3.02
$1.97 $1.97
53.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$3.40 $3.40
-22.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.68 $14.68
$17.77 $17.77
-17.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.15 $15.15
$19.19 $19.19
-21.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.80 $4.80
$5.59 $5.59
-14.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.79 $2.79
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$113 $113
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 $3.84
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.17 $2.17
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.35 $30.35
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$0.93 $0.93
19.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K $30.6K
$25.9K $25.9K
18.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$29.3K $29.3K
-8.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 $232
$339 $339
-31.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.7 $58.7
$77.6 $77.6
-24.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.2 $74.2
$149 $149
-50.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 $52.7
$64.1 $64.1
-17.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$32.60 $32.60
$40.45 $40.45
-19.41%
Cinema Ticket
$15.20 $15.20
$19.63 $19.63
-22.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,694 $1,694
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.7K $17.7K
$85.0K $85.0K
-79.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 $55.5
$74.3 $74.3
-25.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.19 $48.19
$50.7 $50.7
-5.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.8 $96.8
$101 $101
-3.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$121 $121
-0.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,703 $1,703
$1,896 $1,896
-10.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$1,713 $1,713
-11.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,190 $3,190
$2,769 $2,769
15.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,007 $2,007
$2,507 $2,507
-19.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,758 $1,758
$2,132 $2,132
-17.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,935 $1,935
$2,090 $2,090
-7.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Syracuse, NY
Schaumburg, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,646 $3,646
$5,001 $5,001
-27.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
6.1
9.34%

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

Last update for Syracuse, NY: October 19, 2026

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Syracuse, NY
$1.5K
Schaumburg, IL
$1.7K 13.4% $202
Groceries & Markets
Syracuse, NY
$445
Schaumburg, IL
$461 * 3.6% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Syracuse, NY
$365
Schaumburg, IL
$566 55.1% $201
Eating Out
Syracuse, NY
$322
Schaumburg, IL
$271 15.7% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Syracuse, NY
$144
Schaumburg, IL
$156 8.2% $12
Getting Around
Syracuse, NY
$139
Schaumburg, IL
- * 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Syracuse, NY
$83
Schaumburg, IL
$103 24.4% $20

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,703 in Syracuse, NY and $1,896 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaumburg, IL pays 37% 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: $76.0 in Syracuse, NY vs $101 in Schaumburg, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $461 per month, with Syracuse, NY cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Syracuse, NY
🇺🇸 Schaumburg, IL
🕒 Local time
20:24 8:24 PM
19:24 7:24 PM
1 h behind Syracuse, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
148,620
78,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Syracuse, NY Schaumburg, IL 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Syracuse, NY
  • Schaumburg, 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
Syracuse, NY vs Schaumburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Syracuse, NY or Schaumburg, IL?
Syracuse, NY wins on cost – living expenses run 9% 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.
Are salaries higher in Syracuse, NY or in Schaumburg, IL?
On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Schaumburg, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Syracuse, NY compared to Schaumburg, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,703 in Syracuse, NY versus $1,896 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Syracuse, NY compared to Schaumburg, IL?
All in, you'll spend $3,009 per month in Syracuse, NY versus $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Syracuse, NY or in Schaumburg, IL?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Schaumburg, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Syracuse, NY or in Schaumburg, IL?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Syracuse, NY or Schaumburg, IL?
Both work as nomad bases, but Syracuse, NY delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,009 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Syracuse, NY hard to pass up.
How safe is Syracuse, NY compared to Schaumburg, IL?
Safety-wise, Syracuse, NY and Schaumburg, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Syracuse, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Schaumburg, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Syracuse, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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