Chicago vs New York Cost of Living
Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6 — New York (United States) · Overall index 100.0
Summary
- Overall, New York is 34% more expensive than Chicago.
- Rent in New York is 84% more expensive than in Chicago.
- Dining out in New York is 24% more expensive than in Chicago.
| Item | Chicago | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +84% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,414 | $4,328 | +79% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,482 | $2,796 | +89% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $4,031 | $7,980 | +98% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,862 | $4,915 | +72% |
| Groceries | +21% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.25 | $1.48 | +18% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.47 | $4.03 | +16% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.76 | $5.54 | +16% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.23 | $5.18 | +22% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $13 | $16.5 | +27% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $13.6 | +31% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.2 | $22.8 | +19% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.05 | $6.73 | +33% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.88 | $2.56 | +36% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.74 | $5.31 | +12% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.43 | $6.04 | +11% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.6 | $3.01 | +16% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.33 | $3.09 | +33% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.85 | +26% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.2 | $2.81 | +28% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.8 | $17 | +8% |
| Transport | +22% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.26 | $2.75 | +22% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $108 | $145 | +34% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.52 | $4.13 | +17% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.59 | $2.06 | +30% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.82 | $0.93 | +13% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,668 | $29,178 | +18% |
| Dining out | +24% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.5 | $25.5 | +24% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $118 | $140 | +19% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.8 | $12.7 | +30% |
| Cappuccino | $4.47 | $5.58 | +25% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.58 | $3.23 | +25% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.87 | $8.19 | +40% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.42 | $8.34 | +12% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.09 | $2.48 | +19% |
| Telecom | +11% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $54.4 | $64.2 | +18% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $66.4 | $66.9 | +1% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.29 | $0.38 | +31% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15 | $14.9 | -1% |
| Utilities & household | +20% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $152 | $173 | +14% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.25 | +25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.14 | $4.81 | +16% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.24 | $1.75 | +41% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $21.7 | $23.6 | +9% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.1 | $94.7 | +28% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15 | $16.6 | +11% |
| Men's haircut | $30 | $36.8 | +23% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $24.1 | $25.1 | +4% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,761 | $2,473 | +40% |
3,230 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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