Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and New York, NY 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in New York, NY is 31.6% higher than in Chicago, IL (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in New York, NY is 53.2% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Rent Prices in New York, NY are 89.2% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Restaurant Prices in New York, NY are 21.7% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Groceries Prices in New York, NY are 20.0% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Local Purchasing Power in New York, NY is 31.3% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
Restaurants | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 20.00 $ | 25.00 $ | +25.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 100.00 $ | 140.00 $ | +40.0 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 13.50 $ | 14.00 $ | +3.7 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 7.00 $ | 8.00 $ | +14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 9.00 $ | 10.00 $ | +11.1 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.61 $ | 5.64 $ | +0.5 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.10 $ | 2.94 $ | -5.3 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.24 $ | 2.60 $ | +16.0 % |
Markets | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.36 $ | 1.31 $ | -4.0 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 3.78 $ | 4.19 $ | +10.8 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2.43 $ | 3.46 $ | +42.3 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 5.37 $ | 6.80 $ | +26.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.48 $ | 8.11 $ | +25.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.77 $ | 7.03 $ | +3.9 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 7.96 $ | 9.21 $ | +15.7 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.42 $ | 3.26 $ | +34.7 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.84 $ | 1.11 $ | +31.3 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.76 $ | 2.55 $ | +45.5 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.02 $ | 2.78 $ | +37.6 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.15 $ | 1.50 $ | +30.0 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.17 $ | 1.47 $ | +25.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.46 $ | 2.93 $ | +19.2 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.68 $ | 2.56 $ | -4.3 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 18.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 3.02 $ | 3.56 $ | +17.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.51 $ | 4.28 $ | +22.1 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 17.50 $ | 19.00 $ | +8.6 % |
Transportation | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 3.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 75.00 $ | 132.50 $ | +76.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.25 $ | 3.00 $ | -7.7 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.25 $ | 3.50 $ | +55.3 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 22.50 $ | 42.00 $ | +86.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 0.99 $ | 0.88 $ | -11.0 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 35,265.50 $ | 35,458.00 $ | +0.5 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 25,967.33 $ | 25,824.12 $ | -0.6 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 166.32 $ | 200.17 $ | +20.4 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 73.06 $ | 65.91 $ | -9.8 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 68.56 $ | 68.44 $ | -0.2 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 67.68 $ | 119.40 $ | +76.4 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 29.00 $ | 68.00 $ | +134.4 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 17.50 $ | 21.00 $ | +20.0 % |
Childcare | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,872.22 $ | 3,360.85 $ | +79.5 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 30,287.27 $ | 59,207.20 $ | +95.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 61.13 $ | 68.70 $ | +12.4 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 50.83 $ | 53.25 $ | +4.8 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 100.35 $ | 116.87 $ | +16.5 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 153.53 $ | 159.29 $ | +3.7 % |
Rent Per Month | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,471.25 $ | 4,468.58 $ | +80.8 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,736.31 $ | 2,909.00 $ | +67.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 4,513.33 $ | 9,319.74 $ | +106.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,862.20 $ | 5,222.78 $ | +82.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 353.39 $ | 1,914.01 $ | +441.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 239.53 $ | 880.01 $ | +267.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chicago, IL Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,930.13 $ | 5,189.73 $ | +5.3 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.69 | 6.73 | +0.7 % |
| Last update: | 5 March 2026 | 2 March 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 156 | 262 | |
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Moving to New York, NY? Explore:
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Addison, Illinois | 22.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Arlington Heights, Illinois | 27.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
Cities near New York, NY: | Cost of Living in Jersey City, New Jersey | 4.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newark, New Jersey | 11.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Paterson, New Jersey | 17.95 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bergen County, New Jersey | 20.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hempstead, New York | 22.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in West Caldwell, New Jersey | 23.56 miles |
| Cost of Living in Woodbridge, New Jersey | 25.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Glen Cove, New York | 30.15 miles |