Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,553 in Yonkers, NY, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

172

Cost of Living Index in Yonkers, NY
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Yonkers, NY Living Index
152

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

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Yonkers, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,553

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,553 per month in Yonkers, NY vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Yonkers, NY $3,553
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,135 per month in Yonkers, NY vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Yonkers, NY $5,135
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,717 per month in Yonkers, NY vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Yonkers, NY $6,717
Chicago, IL $6,115

Yonkers, NY costs about 13% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Yonkers, NY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Yonkers, NY by 162%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.82 $24.82

$20.65 $20.65

20.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$90.2 $90.2

10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$12.94 $12.94

-14.37%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$5.60 $5.60

-1.43%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$2.64 $2.64

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.27 $2.27

-17.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$6.98 $6.98

16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$8.83 $8.83

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.27 $1.27

11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.80 $3.80

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.03 $7.03

$5.30 $5.30

32.64%

Eggs

$5.31 $5.31

$4.76 $4.76

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 $12.10

$13.96 $13.96

-13.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.61 $14.61

-12.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 $17.14

$18.77 $18.77

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.19 $5.19

3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.98 $1.98

-19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.93 $3.93

27.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$4.96 $4.96

7.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.76 $2.76

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.76 $2.76

11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.22 $2.22

12.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.98 $2.98

-19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$14.02 $14.02

-13.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.65 $19.65

$15.28 $15.28

28.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.58 $2.58

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.50 $3.50

27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.47 $2.47

18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 $134

$74.8 $74.8

78.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.34 $3.34

-12.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.43 $1.43

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.77 $23.77

$24.32 $24.32

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.26 $1.26

-11.90%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.67%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.66%

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

$216 $216

$193 $193

11.97%

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

$65.6 $65.6

$68.3 $68.3

-3.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$61.3 $61.3

5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.1 $92.1

$54.1 $54.1

70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 $8.04

$27.92 $27.92

-71.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.51 $15.51

$17.74 $17.74

-12.57%

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

$1,442 $1,442

$1,652 $1,652

-12.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.4K $41.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

33.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.12 $44.12

$66.1 $66.1

-33.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 $48.11

$51.2 $51.2

-6.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 $84.3

$100 $100

-15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$141 $141

5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 $1,969

$2,446 $2,446

-19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 $1,957

$1,678 $1,678

16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 $3,062

$4,717 $4,717

-35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,120 $3,120

$2,795 $2,795

11.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 $3,721

$4,105 $4,105

-9.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,686 $2,686

$2,650 $2,650

1.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,360 $4,360

$4,866 $4,866

-10.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.81

-0.88%

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

Last update for Yonkers, 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

Yonkers, NY

$2K 55.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 14.3% $279

Groceries & Markets

Yonkers, NY

$452 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 0.6% $2.7

Eating Out

Yonkers, NY

$372 10.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 7.7% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yonkers, NY

$346 9.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 6.9% $24

Getting Around

Yonkers, NY

$156 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 39.1% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Yonkers, NY

$147 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 10% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Yonkers, NY

$123 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 27.2% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,969 in Yonkers, 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 12% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $100 in Yonkers, NY versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $452 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Yonkers, NY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

05:51 5:51 AM

1 h behind Yonkers, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,569

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

Yonkers, NY
Chicago, IL

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,553 in Yonkers, NY, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,330 per month in Yonkers, 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Yonkers, NY, 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 $100 in Yonkers, NY and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,553 in Yonkers, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,553 in Yonkers, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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