Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Clifton, NJ: $2,771 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
135

Cost of Living Index in Clifton, NJ
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Clifton, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Clifton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Clifton, 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 Clifton, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,771 in Clifton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Clifton, NJ $2,771

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,035 in Clifton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Clifton, NJ $4,035

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,299 in Clifton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Clifton, NJ $5,299

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Clifton, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Clifton, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Clifton, NJ by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$22.14 $22.14

-6.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$78.7 $78.7

14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.83 $12.83

0.86%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.41 $6.41

-12.64%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.44 $2.44

8.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.79 $1.79

26.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.91 $7.91

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.05 $7.05

25.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.33 $1.33

-4.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.61 $4.61

-17.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.09 $6.09

-12.97%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.80 $5.80

-17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.90 $13.90

0.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.09 $10.09

44.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.68 $18.68

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.92 $5.92

-12.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.34 $2.34

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.21 $6.21

-36.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.26 $5.26

-5.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.52 $3.52

-21.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.34 $4.34

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.13 $3.13

-29.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.63 $2.63

13.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$15.06 $15.06

-6.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.21 $15.21

0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.79 $1.79

44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.63 $3.63

-3.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$4.30 $4.30

-42.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.95 $2.95

13.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.19 $2.19

-34.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$42.36 $42.36

-42.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.13 $1.13

11.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.1K $33.1K

5.82%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.98%

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

$193 $193

$219 $219

-12.10%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$50.7 $50.7

34.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.5 $66.5

-7.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$29.05 $29.05

86.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$20.63 $20.63

-14.01%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,967 $1,967

-16.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$16.3K $16.3K

91.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$31.73 $31.73

108.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$20.32 $20.32

152.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$109 $109

-8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$138 $138

2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,348 $1,348

81.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,376 $1,376

21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,860 $2,860

64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,215 $2,215

26.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$8,457 $8,457

-51.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,324 $4,324

12.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.8

0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Clifton, NJ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Clifton, NJ

$1.4K 49.7% 18% $302

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Clifton, NJ

$460 16.6% 2.3% $10

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Clifton, NJ

$363 13.1% 5.7% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Clifton, NJ

$336 12.1% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Clifton, NJ

$135 4.9% 16.6% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Clifton, NJ

$31 * 1.1% 67.3% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Clifton, NJ

$70 2.5% 21.5% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,348 in Clifton, 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $79.0 in Clifton, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $460 in Clifton, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Clifton, NJ

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

20:26 8:26 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

79,606

💱 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 Clifton, NJ 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,771 in Clifton, NJ – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,157 in Clifton, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Clifton, NJ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $79.0 in Clifton, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,771 in Clifton, NJ. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,771 in Clifton, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Clifton, NJ. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.