Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Troy, NY: $2,388 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Troy, NY
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Troy, NY Living Index
153

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

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Troy, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,388

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,388 per month in Troy, NY vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Troy, NY $2,388
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,919 per month in Troy, NY vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Troy, NY $3,919
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,451 per month in Troy, NY vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Troy, NY $5,451
Chicago, IL $6,077

Troy, NY is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Troy, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Troy, NY by 77%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 $18.23

$21.58 $21.58

-15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$88.7 $88.7

-14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$13.20 $13.20

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$6.58 $6.58

$5.59 $5.59

17.71%

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

$2.63 $2.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.26 $2.26

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.11 $7.11

-2.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 $7.69

$9.23 $9.23

-16.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.28 $1.28

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.84 $3.84

-16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.07 $5.07

-14.40%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$4.84 $4.84

-17.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$14.17 $14.17

-21.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$14.61 $14.61

-7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$18.76 $18.76

-6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$5.19 $5.19

-8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.00 $2.00

-30.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.00 $4.00

33.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.98 $4.98

-4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.79 $2.79

8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.65 $2.65

39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.13 $2.13

3.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.09 $3.09

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 $14.27

$16.05 $16.05

-11.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 $14.11

$15.20 $15.20

-7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.62 $2.62

-20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.46 $3.46

15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.47 $2.47

-47.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$75.1 $75.1

-13.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.21 $3.21

17.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.39 $1.39

-0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.54 $30.54

$25.02 $25.02

22.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.24 $1.24

-9.68%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$37.2K $37.2K

-4.16%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.27%

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

$214 $214

$192 $192

11.24%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$67.8 $67.8

-12.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$60.9 $60.9

23.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 $44.04

$53.6 $53.6

-17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$17.80 $17.80

-14.83%

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

$1,502 $1,502

$1,554 $1,554

-3.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K $17.2K

$31.4K $31.4K

-45.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$67.9 $67.9

-19.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 $47.68

$50.8 $50.8

-6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 $99.5

$101 $101

-1.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$143 $143

-14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 $1,293

$2,383 $2,383

-45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$1,712 $1,712

-41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 $3,046

$4,674 $4,674

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 $2,439

$2,738 $2,738

-10.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,537 $2,537

$4,158 $4,158

-38.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,516 $2,516

$2,691 $2,691

-6.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,603 $7,603

$4,894 $4,894

55.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.77

-1.62%

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

Last update for Troy, NY: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Troy, NY

$1K 42.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 70.1% $706

Groceries & Markets

Troy, NY

$403 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 12.1% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Troy, NY

$348 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 7.8% $27

Eating Out

Troy, NY

$330 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 7.1% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Troy, NY

$146 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 11.9% $17

Getting Around

Troy, NY

$80 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 18.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Troy, NY

$74 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 19.9% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Troy, NY versus $2,383 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 55% higher in Troy, 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 $76.0 in Troy, NY versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $451 – making Troy, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Troy, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:51 11:51 AM

10:51 10:51 AM

1 h behind Troy, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,401

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Troy, NY Chicago, IL 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Troy, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,388 in Troy, NY, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,581 per month in Troy, NY and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Troy, NY and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Troy, NY, where all-in costs run around $2,388, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Troy, NY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,388 in Troy, NY to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Troy, 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.