New York vs Chicago Cost of Living
New York (United States) · Overall index 100.0 — Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6
Summary
- Overall, Chicago is 25% cheaper than New York.
- Rent in Chicago is 46% cheaper than in New York.
- Dining out in Chicago is 19% cheaper than in New York.
| Item | New York | Chicago | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -46% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $4,328 | $2,414 | -44% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,796 | $1,482 | -47% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $7,980 | $4,031 | -49% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $4,915 | $2,862 | -42% |
| Groceries | -18% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.48 | $1.25 | -16% |
| White bread (500g) | $4.03 | $3.47 | -14% |
| Rice (1kg) | $5.54 | $4.76 | -14% |
| Eggs (12) | $5.18 | $4.23 | -18% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $16.5 | $13 | -21% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $13.6 | $10.4 | -24% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $22.8 | $19.2 | -16% |
| Apples (1kg) | $6.73 | $5.05 | -25% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $2.56 | $1.88 | -27% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $5.31 | $4.74 | -11% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $6.04 | $5.43 | -10% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $3.01 | $2.6 | -14% |
| Onions (1kg) | $3.09 | $2.33 | -25% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.85 | $2.27 | -20% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.81 | $2.2 | -22% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $17 | $15.8 | -7% |
| Transport | -18% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.75 | $2.26 | -18% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $145 | $108 | -26% |
| Taxi, base fare | $4.13 | $3.52 | -15% |
| Taxi, per km | $2.06 | $1.59 | -23% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.93 | $0.82 | -12% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $29,178 | $24,668 | -15% |
| Dining out | -19% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $25.5 | $20.5 | -20% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $140 | $118 | -16% |
| Fast food combo meal | $12.7 | $9.8 | -23% |
| Cappuccino | $5.58 | $4.47 | -20% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.23 | $2.58 | -20% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $8.19 | $5.87 | -28% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $8.34 | $7.42 | -11% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.48 | $2.09 | -16% |
| Telecom | -10% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $64.2 | $54.4 | -15% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $66.9 | $66.4 | -1% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.38 | $0.29 | -24% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $14.9 | $15 | +1% |
| Utilities & household | -17% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $173 | $152 | -12% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.25 | $0.2 | -20% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.81 | $4.14 | -14% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.75 | $1.24 | -29% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $23.6 | $21.7 | -8% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $94.7 | $74.1 | -22% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $16.6 | $15 | -10% |
| Men's haircut | $36.8 | $30 | -18% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $25.1 | $24.1 | -4% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $2,473 | $1,761 | -29% |
3,230 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs