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Cost of Living: Chicago vs New York (2026)

United States vs United States — relocation comparison

Your passport:
54
Livability Score
🇺🇸 Chicago
United States
Full profile
58
Livability Score
🇺🇸 New York
United States
Full profile
Chicago
New York
$2388/mo
Rent
$4281/mo
54/100
Livability
58/100
35/100
Safety
64/100
65/100
Healthcare
63/100
10 yr
PR path
10 yr
180 Mbps
Internet
162 Mbps
Self-employed / Sole Proprietor
Freelance setup

Wise ✓ · Wise ✓

Self-employed / Sole Proprietor

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated April 2026

TL;DRChicago is 44% cheaper on rent ($2388/mo vs $4281/mo). New York is safer — homicide rate 3.9 vs 17.5 per 100k. Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.
Too close to call — 58 vs 54. New York has a slight edge, but Chicago might suit you better depending on your priorities.
Household
Chicago
Metric
New York
$2388/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$4281/mo
$819/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$997/mo
$8,623
🧳
Cost to land
$13,582
17.5 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
3.9 / 100k
66 / 100
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
51 / 100
27°C
☀️
Summer high
28°C
-4°C
❄️
Winter low
-1°C
180 Mbps
Internet speed
162 Mbps
11.3 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
13.2 μg/m³
7.8 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
7.8 / 10
100/100
🗣️
Street English
100/100
$86k
💼
GDP per capita
$86k
2.9% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
2.9% · Boringly steady
54 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
58 / 100
83/100 — Mostly stable
Grid reliability
83/100 — Mostly stable
80/100
🗽
Freedom House
80/100
10 years
📋
Time to PR
10 years

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Chicago
$1893/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
New York
3.9 homicides per 100k

Settler Essentials

stable
Democracy trend
stable
improving
Inflation trend
improving
financetradinghealthcaremanufacturing
Industries
financemediatechfashion
hub
Startup ecosystem
hub
83/100
Grid reliability
83/100
10 yrs
Time to PR
10 yrs
Easy
🇺🇸 Your visa
Easy
Moderate
EU visa
Moderate
Suspended
RU visa
Suspended
Moderate
UA visa
Moderate
⚠️ Partner work rights are very limited
Spouse works
⚠️ Partner work rights are very limited

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request

Post-Dobbs (2022): varies dramatically by state. Fully banned in ~14 states, protected in ~20 states.

Post-Dobbs (2022): varies dramatically by state. Fully banned in ~14 states, protected in ~20 states.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

The Short Version

  • Rent is 44% cheaper in Chicago ($2388/mo vs $4281/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are slightly warmer in New York (28°C vs 27°C).
  • New York is safer by homicide rate (3.9 vs 17.5 per 100k).

Chicago vs New York — Common Questions

Is Chicago cheaper than New York?

Chicago is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $2388/month in Chicago vs $4281/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Chicago or New York?

New York is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Chicago has a rate of 17.50 per 100,000 and New York has 3.90 per 100,000.

Should I move to Chicago or New York?

Too close to call — 58 vs 54. New York has a slight edge, but Chicago might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Chicago or New York?

Chicago: US Employment-Based Green Card (complex process, Permanent residence). New York: US Employment-Based Green Card (complex process, Permanent residence). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

What's the cost of rent in Chicago vs New York?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $2388/month in Chicago, $4281/month in New York (Numbeo). That's 44% cheaper rent in Chicago.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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