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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,068 in Chicago, IL versus $3,799 in Bayonne, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,648 in Chicago, IL versus $4,574 in Bayonne, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,229 in Chicago, IL versus $5,349 in Bayonne, NJ.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 19% less than in Bayonne, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Bayonne, NJ 184% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$19.73 $19.73

2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$101 $101

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$12.10 $12.10

1.07%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.98 $5.98

-6.35%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.27 $2.27

37.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.59 $1.59

52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$7.03 $7.03

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$6.98 $6.98

17.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.25 $1.25

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.14 $4.14

-4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$6.22 $6.22

-10.29%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$6.64 $6.64

-32.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$13.57 $13.57

6.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.39 $12.39

21.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$15.00 $15.00

28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.81 $5.81

-7.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.60 $2.60

-32.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.33 $4.33

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.19 $4.19

5.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.99 $2.99

-15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.61 $2.61

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.66 $2.66

-6.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.71 $2.71

-4.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 $14.80

$15.01 $15.01

-1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$14.77 $14.77

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.57 $2.57

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.93 $3.93

-8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.98 $1.98

28.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 $76.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.91 $2.91

13.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.15 $2.15

-35.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.36 $25.36

$42.03 $42.03

-39.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.96 $0.96

13.54%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$23.5K $23.5K

34.70%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.6K $24.6K

7.88%

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

$186 $186

$162 $162

15.03%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$53.2 $53.2

18.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$68.0 $68.0

-2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.6 $77.6

$43.12 $43.12

80.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 $13.16

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$20.36 $20.36

-27.60%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$1,725 $1,725

18.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$14.5K $14.5K

175.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$49.17 $49.17

29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$59.2 $59.2

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$88.1 $88.1

8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$99.9 $99.9

44.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$1,994 $1,994

15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$2,464 $2,464

-36.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,688 $4,688

$2,384 $2,384

96.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,737 $2,737

$2,255 $2,255

21.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,063 $4,063

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,696 $2,696

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,019 $5,019

$4,491 $4,491

11.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bayonne, NJ: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,305 in Chicago, IL and $1,994 in Bayonne, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Chicago, IL vs $101 in Bayonne, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $448 vs $443, with Bayonne, NJ 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 Bayonne, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Bayonne, NJ differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($3,068 vs $3,799 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Chicago, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,305 in Chicago, IL versus $1,994 in Bayonne, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bayonne, NJ pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,068 per month in Chicago, IL versus $3,799 in Bayonne, NJ – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Chicago, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,068 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chicago, IL hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Bayonne, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.