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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chicago, IL is 21.9% cheaper than Bridgewater, NJ without rent, and 20% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chicago, IL is 23.2% cheaper than Bridgewater, NJ without rent, and 14.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.82 $20.82

$19.86 $19.86

4.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$14.12 $14.12

-15.23%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.46 $5.46

1.83%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$2.81 $2.81

10.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.12 $2.12

14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$8.07 $8.07

-14.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 $8.45

$8.1 $8.1

4.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.52 $1.52

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.66 $4.66

-10.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$6.5 $6.5

-15.08%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$5.58 $5.58

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 $14.33

$13.74 $13.74

4.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$24.36 $24.36

-38.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$17.71 $17.71

9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$7.16 $7.16

-27.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.6 $2.6

-34.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.61 $5.61

-21.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.91 $5.91

-23.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$5.2 $5.2

-51.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.78 $3.78

-27.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.53 $2.53

-3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.7 $2.7

$3.02 $3.02

-10.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.94 $10.94

38.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$19.09 $19.09

-13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.68 $1.68

39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.7 $3.7

$3.64 $3.64

1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.95 $1.95

29.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

$118 $118

-37.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.03 $3.03

10.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.58 $1.58

-10.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.42 $25.42

$42.47 $42.47

-40.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.87 $0.87

24.14%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$25.6K $25.6K

26.57%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.05%

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

$188 $188

$181 $181

4.04%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$59.6 $59.6

6.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$54.9 $54.9

18.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 $76.7

$99.8 $99.8

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

$49.04 $49.04

-73.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$19.89 $19.89

-24.94%

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

$2,063 $2,063

$1,831 $1,831

12.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$14.4K $14.4K

171.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 $64.3

$69.7 $69.7

-7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$58.2 $58.2

-10.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$112 $112

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$130 $130

11.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$2,342 $2,342

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$2,119 $2,119

-25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,763 $4,763

$3,703 $3,703

28.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 $2,815

$3,523 $3,523

-20.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,588 $3,588

$2,793 $2,793

28.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$2,557 $2,557

-2.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,275 $5,275

$6,578 $6,578

-19.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.55

0.76%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

Last update for Bridgewater, NJ: October 28, 2025

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