Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,857 in Barnegat, NJ versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,326 in Barnegat, NJ versus $4,628 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,795 in Barnegat, NJ versus $6,179 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Barnegat, NJ costs roughly 7% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barnegat, NJ 113% above, Chicago, IL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$20.91 $20.91

-5.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$98.1 $98.1

45.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 $12.38

$11.86 $11.86

4.38%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$5.60 $5.60

3.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.07 $3.07

5.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.47 $2.47

8.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$7.14 $7.14

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.98 $11.98

$8.08 $8.08

48.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.05 $1.05

-0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.11 $4.11

21.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.40 $8.40

$5.61 $5.61

49.73%

Eggs

$7.05 $7.05

$4.51 $4.51

56.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$14.27 $14.27

22.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$14.89 $14.89

11.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.52 $20.52

$19.19 $19.19

6.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$5.14 $5.14

45.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.77 $1.77

42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.39 $4.39

35.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.56 $4.56

-13.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.54 $2.54

52.76%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.75 $2.75

49.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.42 $2.42

26.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.62 $2.62

-6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.68 $18.68

$14.92 $14.92

25.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.80 $14.80

3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.46 $2.46

18.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.73 $3.73

4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.48 $2.48

-17.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.18 $3.18

-5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.42 $1.42

-1.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.57 $23.57

$24.94 $24.94

-5.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.06 $1.06

-32.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.7K $35.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

11.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.2K $28.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

8.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$182 $182

$185 $185

-1.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.7 $59.7

$61.7 $61.7

-3.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 $61.7

$66.9 $66.9

-7.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.59 $42.59

$75.2 $75.2

-43.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$19.81 $19.81

$14.71 $14.71

34.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,209 $3,209

$2,020 $2,020

58.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$39.4K $39.4K

-39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$64.6 $64.6

3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.46 $47.46

$52.5 $52.5

-9.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$97.8 $97.8

16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$148 $148

14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$2,313 $2,313

-29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$1,590 $1,590

-13.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,628 $2,628

$4,608 $4,608

-42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$2,779 $2,779

-19.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$3,922 $3,922

-31.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,180 $2,180

$2,613 $2,613

-16.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.6

-2.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barnegat, NJ: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,632 in Barnegat, NJ and $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $143 in Barnegat, NJ vs $98.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $447 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barnegat, NJ vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnegat, NJ and Chicago, IL differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,857 vs $3,077 including rent). Barnegat, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,286 in Barnegat, NJ and $4,616 in Chicago, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,632 in Barnegat, NJ versus $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,209 in Barnegat, NJ versus $2,020 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barnegat, NJ – a meal for two runs $143 versus $98.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barnegat, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Barnegat, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.