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Sometimes, living in New York City means spending $2,200 a month for a one-bedroom apartment without an oven.

I’ve lived in six different apartments since moving to NYC in 2019. All but my current place have had ovens, but I’m always curious what the same rent could get me in other cities.

I was thinking about that difference on a recent trip to Chicago. In Queens, where I live, the average rent is $3,486, compared to $1,976 in Chicago, according to a January 2026 rent report from Apartments.com.

While I was there, I found myself scrolling through Zillow when I spotted a brand-new, three-bedroom apartment for $2,200 a month. It looked surprisingly spacious and luxurious for the price, so I decided to take a tour.

Before we talk about the rental in Chicago, let me tell you a little bit about my $2,200-a-month apartment in NYC.

The author’s living room in her NYC apartment.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I rent a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Queens. The 650-square-foot rental has an open-floor-plan kitchen and living space, as well as an additional small room I use for storage and recreation.

It’s worth noting that my apartment lacks a few amenities. There are no laundry machines in the unit or on-site, and there’s no oven — though I do have a stove top and a microwave.

I found a rental in Chicago with a similar commute to downtown for the same price.

A sidewalk with stairs to an above-ground train on the right and a building on the left — Public transit near the rental.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My Queens apartment is about a 40-minute train commute to Manhattan. The rental I toured was about 45 minutes from Downtown Chicago by train in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

The two-unit property was brand-new and stood next to similarly designed homes under construction.

Modern condos under construction on the right side of a sidewalk

A street lined with new residential construction.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The street was quiet and mostly empty when I visited on a weekday afternoon. Nearby, I noticed some restaurants and grocery stores within walking distance.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit had two entrances.

A composite image of the exterior of a rectangular, modern condo building with snow in the front yard; and stairs going down a wooden patio with telephone wires, a telephone pole, and buildings in the background — The front and back entrances to the rental.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Situated on the top floor, the unit had a front entrance used by both tenants and a private back entrance with a small patio. It’s also worth noting that the rental comes with a parking spot.

My apartment in Queens has just one shared entrance, and tenants can pay extra for a parking spot, though I don’t have a car.

The 1,400-square-foot space opened to a bright kitchen and living room.

A modern kitchen with an island on the left and stainless steel appliances — Inside the kitchen and living space in the Chicago rental.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

At 1,400 square feet, the Chicago rental was more than twice the size of my Queens apartment.

The kitchen was larger than mine and had more counter space. It was also sleek and modern, with marble countertops, a geometric backsplash, and stainless steel appliances, from the oven to the microwave.

The living space behind the kitchen was also larger than mine. It had three tall windows facing the front yard.

A long hallway with three closets led to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

A composite image of open doors leading to empty rooms with ceiling fans — Two of the three bedrooms in the Chicago rental.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My apartment has two closets — one in the bedroom and one by the front door. Both are quite small. So I was excited by the amount of storage space in the Chicago rental.

Two of the bedrooms looked slightly bigger than my own in NYC.

Inside an empty bedroom with wood floors, a closet, and an open door on the right — Inside one of the bedrooms.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

If I were to live in this rental, I’d use one of these bedrooms as a home office and the other as a recreational room.

The primary bedroom looked to be nearly twice the size of mine at home.

Inside an empty bedroom with two doors on the left and a window on the back left wall — Inside the primary bedroom.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The primary bedroom had a walk-in closet, an in-room bathroom, and more light fixtures than the other two bedrooms had.

The bathrooms looked luxurious.

A composite image of two modern, marble bathrooms — Bathrooms in the Chicago rental.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Both were modern and sleek with marble floors and contrasting backsplashes.

Back in the hallway, there was a laundry closet.

Inside an empty laundry closet with machine hook ups — Inside the laundry closet.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Although the laundry closet was empty during my tour, the real-estate agent told me the rental included a washer and dryer that would be installed later.

I love living in NYC, but touring this Chicago rental has me thinking about how my money could stretch further in other cities.

A wide view of a busy street in downtown Chicago — A snapshot of Downtown Chicago from the author’s trip.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

In Chicago, I could have a home that’s sleeker and more modern than my Queens apartment. I could have double the space, two more bedrooms, and an extra bathroom. I could have amenities I lack entirely, like an outdoor space, in-unit laundry, and an oven.

I don’t see myself leaving NYC anytime soon, but sometimes, when I’m spending on laundry services or craving some homemade cookies, I daydream about a more luxurious life in Chicago.

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2026-02-20T14:02:01.225Z

The USS Lionfish was commissioned in 1944 and earned one battle star for service in World War II.
It sank a Japanese submarine, rescued the crew of a B-29 bomber, and served as a training submarine.
The Balao-class submarine is now a museum docked at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts.

The World War II submarine USS Lionfish was part of America’s “Silent Service.”

Despite comprising less than 2% of all US Navy vessels during World War II, submarines like the USS Lionfish sank 55% of Japanese vessels in battle.

This once-fearsome vessel is now a 311-foot-long museum exhibit, allowing the public to learn about its top-secret wartime operations.

Take a look inside the USS Lionfish.

Commissioned in 1944, the USS Lionfish earned one battle star for service during World War II.

The USS Lionfish at sea in an undated photo.

Arkivi/Getty Images

Over the Balao-class submarine’s two war patrols, she sank a Japanese submarine, destroyed a schooner, and rescued the crew of a downed American B-29 bomber.

The USS Lionfish was recommissioned for the Korean War, serving from 1951 to 1953.

From 1960 to 1971, the USS Lionfish served as a reserve training submarine, teaching crew members to operate similar vessels.

Since 1973, the USS Lionfish has been on display at Battleship Cove, a maritime museum in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Tickets to Battleship Cove cost $25 per adult. I visited the museum in January to take a closer look at the retired submarine.

The first stop on my self-guided tour was the forward torpedo room, where 16 torpedomen slept and worked.

The forward torpedo room on board the USS Lionfish. — The forward torpedo room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The forward torpedo room featured six torpedo tubes, each storing a torpedo, and 10 reloads. The 16 crew members slept alongside the torpedoes on pull-out bunks, remaining ready to fire at all times.

Behind the torpedo room was officers’ country, which included the officers’ pantry.

The officers' pantry on board the USS Lionfish. — The officers’ pantry.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In the officers’ pantry, meals for the higher-ranking crew members were reheated and plated on Navy china. They ate the same food as the rest of the sailors, but in a fancier setting.

Officers used the wardroom for dining, working, and relaxing.

The wardroom on board the USS Lionfish.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

It could also serve as an operating room in medical emergencies.

Junior officers slept in a room with four bunks.

The junior officers' quarters on board the USS Lionfish. — The junior officers’ quarters.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Officers enjoyed more privacy on board than enlisted men.

Senior officers had even more privacy in a room with a triple bunk.

The senior officers' quarters on board the USS Lionfish. — The senior officers’ quarters.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The submarine’s second-in-command, known as the executive officer, slept in this room.

The commanding officer slept in the only private room on board the submarine.

The commanding officer's stateroom on board the USS Lionfish. — The commanding officer’s stateroom.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The commanding officer’s stateroom featured a small desk that functioned as a private workspace.

Chief petty officers slept five to a room in their quarters.

The chief petty officers' quarters on board the USS Lionfish. — The chief petty officers’ quarters.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Chief petty officers served as liaisons between the officers and the crew. This room was also colloquially known as the “goat locker” since the more experienced officers were affectionately nicknamed “old goats.”

In the ship’s office, an administrator known as the yeoman handled all of the ship’s paperwork.

The ship's office on board the USS Lionfish. — The ship’s office.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Personnel files, orders of supplies, and other administrative tasks were the yeoman’s domain.

Equipment in the control room managed the submarine’s depth, speed, steering, and navigation.

The control room on board the USS Lionfish. — The control room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The commanding officer issued orders from the control center or the conning tower located directly above. The USS Lionfish’s conning tower wasn’t open to the public, but I did get to look inside one while touring another Balao-class submarine, the USS Becuna.

Communications and covert operations were handled in the radio room.

The radio room on board the USS Lionfish. — The radio room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The USS Lionfish was equipped with sonar, or “sound navigation and ranging,” to listen for enemy ships in the surrounding waters.

Chefs prepared meals for the submarine’s 80 crew members in the main galley.

The main galley on board the USS Lionfish. — The main galley.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The galley prepared four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight rations known as “mid-rats.”

The crew’s mess was an all-purpose room where sailors ate, lounged, and played games.

The crew's mess on board the USS Lionfish. — The crew’s mess.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Frozen and refrigerated food was stored in compartments underneath the floor.

The bunks have been removed from the crew’s berthing during ongoing restoration work.

The crew's berthing on board the USS Lionfish. — The crew’s berthing.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Other Balao-class submarines held 35 or 36 bunks in this space.

The USS Lionfish featured two engine rooms, each containing two diesel engines.

The forward engine room on board the USS Lionfish. — The forward engine room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Each engine room was responsible for half of the ship’s electric and propulsion power.

In the maneuvering room, switches controlled the flow of electricity to the submarine’s generators.

The maneuvering room on board the USS Lionfish. — The maneuvering room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

While surfaced, the submarine’s four diesel engines powered its generators, which in turn powered the ship’s motors. While submerged, storage batteries powered the motors.

My tour ended with the after torpedo room at the back of the submarine.

The after torpedo room on board the USS Lionfish. — The after torpedo room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Around 13 enlisted men worked and slept in the after torpedo room, which featured four torpedo tubes.

The USS Lionfish remains unique among World War II submarines.

The USS Lionfish docked at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Over 50 submarines underwent a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power 1-A, or “GUPPY,” modernization after World War II. However, the USS Lionfish remained as it was.

Museum staff and volunteers are working to restore the USS Lionfish and preserve its original configuration. Even in frigid temperatures, I saw volunteers holding tools and walking carefully around the deck’s open panels, revealing the complex mechanics beneath.