Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomfield, NJ: $2,757 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

135

Cost of Living Index in Bloomfield, NJ
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Bloomfield, NJ Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Bloomfield, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,757

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bloomfield, NJ and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bloomfield, NJ and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,757 per month in Bloomfield, NJ vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bloomfield, NJ $2,757
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Bloomfield, NJ vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bloomfield, NJ $2,825
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Bloomfield, NJ vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bloomfield, NJ $2,892
Chicago, IL $6,077

Bloomfield, NJ is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bloomfield, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bloomfield, NJ by 104%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$21.58 $21.58

-8.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$88.7 $88.7

-11.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$13.20 $13.20

-10.15%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.59 $5.59

2.15%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$2.63 $2.63

-6.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.26 $2.26

-31.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.11 $7.11

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$9.23 $9.23

-23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.28 $1.28

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.84 $3.84

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$5.07 $5.07

22.68%

Eggs

$6.25 $6.25

$4.84 $4.84

29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.09 $14.09

$14.17 $14.17

-0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$14.61 $14.61

-29.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.58 $19.58

$18.76 $18.76

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$5.19 $5.19

18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.00 $2.00

81.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.00 $4.00

11.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$4.98 $4.98

17.87%

Potato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.79 $2.79

43.37%

Onion (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.65 $2.65

66.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.13 $2.13

18.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.09 $3.09

-17.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.72 $14.72

$16.05 $16.05

-8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$15.20 $15.20

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.62 $2.62

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.46 $3.46

-2.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.21 $3.21

-4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.39 $1.39

55.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.78 $41.78

$25.02 $25.02

66.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.24 $1.24

-8.06%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-5.55%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-1.24%

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

$171 $171

$192 $192

-11.28%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$67.8 $67.8

-25.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 $50.4

$60.9 $60.9

-17.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$20.37 $20.37

$17.80 $17.80

14.44%

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

$1,996 $1,996

$1,554 $1,554

28.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$31.4K $31.4K

-48.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 $49.50

$67.9 $67.9

-27.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.6 $77.6

$50.8 $50.8

52.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$101 $101

-15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$143 $143

-28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 $1,673

$2,383 $2,383

-29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$1,712 $1,712

-13.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,497 $3,497

$4,674 $4,674

-25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,136 $5,136

$4,894 $4,894

4.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.77

-1.48%

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

Last update for Bloomfield, NJ: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bloomfield, NJ

$1.5K 54%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 15% $223

Groceries & Markets

Bloomfield, NJ

$468 17%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 3.6% $17

Eating Out

Bloomfield, NJ

$332 12%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 6.3% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bloomfield, NJ

$272 9.9%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 18.2% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Bloomfield, NJ

$142 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 15.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Bloomfield, NJ

$41 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 119% $48

Getting Around

Bloomfield, NJ

$14 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 587% $81

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,673 in Bloomfield, NJ versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Bloomfield, NJ, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Bloomfield, NJ versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $468 in Bloomfield, NJ vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bloomfield, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:51 11:51 AM

10:51 10:51 AM

1 h behind Bloomfield, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bloomfield, NJ Chicago, IL 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Bloomfield, NJ
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,136 per month in Bloomfield, NJ and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloomfield, NJ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Bloomfield, NJ and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,757 in Bloomfield, NJ and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bloomfield, NJ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bloomfield, NJ. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.