Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bradley Beach, NJ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bradley Beach, NJ: $2,298 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

119

Cost of Living Index in Bradley Beach, NJ
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Bradley Beach, NJ Living Index
152

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

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Bradley Beach, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,298

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bradley Beach, 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 Bradley Beach, NJ and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,298 per month in Bradley Beach, NJ vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bradley Beach, NJ $2,298
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,399 per month in Bradley Beach, NJ vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bradley Beach, NJ $3,399
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,500 per month in Bradley Beach, NJ vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bradley Beach, NJ $4,500
Chicago, IL $6,115

Bradley Beach, NJ is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bradley Beach, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bradley Beach, NJ by 70%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.97 $18.97

$20.65 $20.65

-8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 $78.4

$90.2 $90.2

-13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$12.94 $12.94

-23.42%

Cappuccino

$6.33 $6.33

$5.60 $5.60

13.04%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.27 $2.27

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$6.98 $6.98

-16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$8.83 $8.83

-22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.27 $1.27

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.80 $3.80

17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$5.30 $5.30

10.19%

Eggs

$3.46 $3.46

$4.76 $4.76

-27.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$13.96 $13.96

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$14.61 $14.61

-30.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$18.77 $18.77

-43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$5.19 $5.19

-43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.98 $1.98

-36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.93 $3.93

-27.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$4.96 $4.96

-35.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.76 $2.76

-19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.76 $2.76

-19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.22 $2.22

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.98 $2.98

-63.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.96 $14.96

$14.02 $14.02

6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.28 $15.28

-2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.58 $2.58

-30.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.50 $3.50

4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.47 $2.47

-12.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.34 $3.34

-8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.43 $1.43

49.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.79 $41.79

$24.32 $24.32

71.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.26 $1.26

-10.32%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.78%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.10%

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

$173 $173

$193 $193

-9.98%

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

$49.93 $49.93

$68.3 $68.3

-26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.95 $49.95

$61.3 $61.3

-18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.16 $40.16

$54.1 $54.1

-25.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$20.32 $20.32

$17.74 $17.74

14.54%

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

$1,981 $1,981

$1,652 $1,652

19.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-49.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$66.1 $66.1

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 $40.94

$51.2 $51.2

-20.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$100 $100

-13.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$141 $141

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$2,446 $2,446

-44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 $1,131

$1,678 $1,678

-32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 $2,568

$4,717 $4,717

-45.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 $1,871

$2,795 $2,795

-33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 $2,981

$4,105 $4,105

-27.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,515 $2,515

$2,650 $2,650

-5.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.81

-0.15%

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

Last update for Bradley Beach, NJ: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bradley Beach, NJ

$1.1K 49.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 48.3% $546

Groceries & Markets

Bradley Beach, NJ

$347 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 29.5% $102

Eating Out

Bradley Beach, NJ

$316 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 8.5% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bradley Beach, NJ

$273 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 17.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Bradley Beach, NJ

$126 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 27.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Bradley Beach, NJ

$81 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 10.9% $8.8

Getting Around

Bradley Beach, NJ

$22 * 1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 325% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,359 in Bradley Beach, NJ versus $2,446 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Bradley Beach, NJ versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $449 – making Bradley Beach, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bradley Beach, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

23:35 11:35 PM

1 h behind Bradley Beach, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,200

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bradley Beach, NJ Chicago, IL 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Bradley Beach, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,298 in Bradley Beach, NJ, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,446 per month in Bradley Beach, NJ and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bradley Beach, 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 $78.0 in Bradley Beach, NJ and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bradley Beach, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,298, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Bradley Beach, NJ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,298 in Bradley Beach, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bradley Beach, 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.