Chicago vs New York: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison

Chicago's typical home is worth $304,500, 58% lower than the typical home in New York at $732,100.

Median household income is $71,673 in Chicago versus $76,607 in New York.

Typical rent runs $1,314 in Chicago and $1,714 in New York.

Natural-hazard risk differs here: FEMA rates Chicago Very High and New York Relatively High.

Metric	Chicago, IL	New York, NY
Population	2,721,914	8,622,467
Median home value	$304,500	$732,100
Median household income	$71,673	$76,607
Median gross rent	$1,314	$1,714
Climate risk (FEMA)	Very High	Relatively High

Both home values and rent run lower in Chicago, IL than in New York, NY, making it the more affordable of the two on housing alone.

Moving between Chicago and New York

Chicago and New York are 718 miles apart in a straight line.

What changes when you move	Chicago → New York	New York → Chicago
Median rent	+$400/mo (+30%)	−$400/mo (−23%)
Median home value	+$427,600 (+140%)	−$427,600 (−58%)
Median household income	+$4,934 (+7%)	−$4,934 (−6%)

Estimated moving cost (either direction)

Home size	Estimated cost
Studio / 1-bedroom	$1,141 – $1,799
2-3 bedroom	$2,806 – $4,374
4+ bedroom house	$4,830 – $7,495

Estimates based on typical per-mile and per-room moving-industry rates; actual quotes vary by mover, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

Chicago, IL New York, NY

826 miles estimated driving distance · 13.8 hours of highway driving

DIY Truck Rental

$1,076 – $1,370

Includes an estimated $289 in fuel (83 gal at ~10 mpg) over 2 driving days.

Professional Movers

$4,256 – $7,713

Full-service crew, loading and unloading included.

Estimates based on typical rental-truck, fuel, and professional-mover industry rates; actual quotes vary by carrier, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey; FEMA National Risk Index

Data last updated July 2026.