Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomfield, NJ: $2,755 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Bloomfield, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,755

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,755 in Bloomfield, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Bloomfield, NJ $2,755

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,825 in Bloomfield, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Bloomfield, NJ $2,825

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,895 in Bloomfield, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Bloomfield, NJ $2,895

Chicago, IL costs about 11% more than Bloomfield, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Bloomfield, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Bloomfield, NJ by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.74 $19.74

3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$80.8 $80.8

9.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.08 $12.08

6.37%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.52 $5.52

4.71%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.48 $2.48

10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.48 $1.48

52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.93 $7.93

-13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.88 $6.88

34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.28 $1.28

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.37 $4.37

-18.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.12 $6.12

-12.09%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$6.33 $6.33

-28.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.74 $13.74

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.44 $10.44

34.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.80 $19.80

-8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.98 $5.98

-13.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.64 $3.64

-45.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.29 $4.29

-9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.04 $6.04

-20.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.99 $3.99

-29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.44 $4.44

-39.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.54 $2.54

-18.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.45 $2.45

23.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$14.56 $14.56

-4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.20 $15.20

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.77 $1.77

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.40 $3.40

1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.01 $3.01

5.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.13 $2.13

-20.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$41.56 $41.56

-40.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.10 $1.10

16.36%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

30.29%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.72%

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

$192 $192

$173 $173

10.86%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$51.1 $51.1

36.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$49.37 $49.37

25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$19.90 $19.90

-10.40%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,738 $1,738

4.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.3K $20.3K

99.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$49.35 $49.35

34.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$77.6 $77.6

-33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.1 $88.1

17.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$102 $102

39.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,727 $1,727

46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,491 $1,491

8.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$3,569 $3,569

35.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,060 $5,060

-2.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.72

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Bloomfield, NJ: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Bloomfield, NJ

$1.5K 54.1% 8% $130

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Bloomfield, NJ

$465 16.9% 5.8% $25

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Bloomfield, NJ

$330 12% 4.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Bloomfield, NJ

$274 9.9% 15.5% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Bloomfield, NJ

$143 5.2% 12.7% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Bloomfield, NJ

$14 * 0.5% 85.9% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Bloomfield, NJ

$40 * 1.4% 52.3% $44

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,727 in Bloomfield, NJ. 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 3% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $81 in Bloomfield, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $465 in Bloomfield, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bloomfield, NJ

🕒 Local time

01:38 1:38 AM

02:38 2:38 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

53,000

💱 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

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

From you

Chicago, IL
Bloomfield, NJ

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

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,133 in Bloomfield, NJ. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,727 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in Bloomfield, NJ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,755 in Bloomfield, NJ. 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.