Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Atlantic City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Atlantic City, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Chicago, IL versus $2,346 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,593 in Chicago, IL versus $3,592 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,177 in Chicago, IL versus $4,838 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 28% more expensive than Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 125% above, Atlantic City, NJ 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$25.34 $25.34

-19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$60.4 $60.4

68.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.03 $12.03

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$5.35 $5.35

6.54%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.78 $2.78

7.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.52 $2.52

-2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.20 $7.20

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$8.95 $8.95

-9.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.18 $1.18

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.03 $4.03

-1.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$8.37 $8.37

-35.24%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$6.23 $6.23

-27.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$17.54 $17.54

-17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$16.57 $16.57

-10.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$20.35 $20.35

-6.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.44 $4.44

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.44 $2.44

-27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.79 $5.79

-24.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.29 $6.29

-27.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.80 $3.80

-33.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.04 $4.04

-30.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.94 $1.94

29.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.04 $2.04

30.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.23 $19.23

-22.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$13.48 $13.48

12.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.91 $2.91

-15.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.73 $3.73

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.98 $1.98

29.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 $74.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 $3.19

$4.91 $4.91

-35.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.12 $2.12

-33.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 $25.49

$41.80 $41.80

-39.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.82 $0.82

26.83%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$34.3K $34.3K

-6.20%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

-5.99%

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

$184 $184

$183 $183

0.27%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$59.8 $59.8

5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$54.4 $54.4

22.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$42.23 $42.23

79.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 $13.06

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$14.66 $14.66

4.02%

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

$2,090 $2,090

$3,201 $3,201

-34.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$23.4K $23.4K

67.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$41.89 $41.89

53.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$40.74 $40.74

25.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$59.8 $59.8

62.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$74.3 $74.3

99.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,385 $1,385

69.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,017 $1,017

54.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,741 $4,741

$1,982 $1,982

139.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$1,822 $1,822

54.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,900 $3,900

$3,629 $3,629

7.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,638 $2,638

$3,629 $3,629

-27.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$4,834 $4,834

-1.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.44

2.48%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 25, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,341 in Chicago, IL and $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $102 in Chicago, IL vs $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $499, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chicago, IL and Atlantic City, NJ differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($3,009 vs $2,346 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Atlantic City, NJ earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,341 in Chicago, IL versus $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,090 in Chicago, IL versus $3,201 in Atlantic City, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Atlantic City, NJ – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $102 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,346 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,009 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Atlantic City, NJ but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Atlantic City, NJ the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Atlantic City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.