Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bedminster Township, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bedminster Township, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $2,671 in Bedminster Township, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $3,981 in Bedminster Township, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $5,291 in Bedminster Township, NJ.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 14% more expensive than Bedminster Township, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Bedminster Township, NJ 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$19.69 $19.69

4.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$118 $118

-14.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.37 $12.37

-4.12%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.85 $5.85

-5.30%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.80 $2.80

9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.09 $2.09

18.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$7.86 $7.86

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.17 $8.17

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.50 $1.50

-30.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.50 $4.50

-13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$6.42 $6.42

-15.58%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$5.57 $5.57

-19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$13.63 $13.63

6.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$12.51 $12.51

21.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$15.23 $15.23

26.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.22 $6.22

-13.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.57 $1.57

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$5.83 $5.83

-25.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.10 $6.10

-26.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.88 $2.88

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$4.93 $4.93

-45.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.72 $2.72

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.42 $2.42

8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$15.10 $15.10

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.25 $15.25

-3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.58 $2.58

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.57 $3.57

3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.05 $2.05

24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.04 $3.04

8.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.65 $1.65

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$41.77 $41.77

-40.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.90 $0.90

21.11%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

22.89%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$24.7K $24.7K

6.89%

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

$183 $183

$160 $160

14.23%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$58.8 $58.8

5.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$68.5 $68.5

-5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$43.81 $43.81

73.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$19.63 $19.63

-24.86%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$1,933 $1,933

6.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$14.1K $14.1K

173.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$45.02 $45.02

42.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$59.5 $59.5

-13.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$86.3 $86.3

12.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$84.5 $84.5

74.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$1,616 $1,616

45.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,336 $1,336

18.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$2,675 $2,675

76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$2,244 $2,244

21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

$2,893 $2,893

37.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,389 $2,389

10.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bedminster Township, NJ: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $1,616 in Bedminster Township, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $118 in Bedminster Township, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $460 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

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

Bedminster Township, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bedminster Township, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,577 in Chicago, IL and $4,007 in Bedminster Township, NJ 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: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $1,616 in Bedminster Township, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,056 in Chicago, IL versus $1,933 in Bedminster Township, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bedminster Township, NJ – a meal for two runs $118 versus $100 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bedminster Township, NJ 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 Bedminster Township, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,671 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bedminster Township, NJ hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bedminster Township, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.