Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and East Rutherford, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in East Rutherford, NJ: $2,319 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 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
112

Cost of Living Index in East Rutherford, NJ
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East Rutherford, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

East Rutherford, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,319 in East Rutherford, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
East Rutherford, NJ $2,319

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,871 in East Rutherford, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
East Rutherford, NJ $3,871

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,423 in East Rutherford, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
East Rutherford, NJ $5,423

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than East Rutherford, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and East Rutherford, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, East Rutherford, NJ by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$21.74 $21.74

-5.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$100 $100

-10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.79 $10.79

19.93%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.17 $5.17

8.32%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.97 $1.97

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.06 $6.06

15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.22 $8.22

7.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.26 $1.26

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.22 $4.22

-9.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$7.01 $7.01

-24.39%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.95 $4.95

-3.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.97 $11.97

16.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.81 $11.81

23.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.43 $17.43

7.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.49 $5.49

-5.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 $1.55

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.22 $5.22

-24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.29 $5.29

-6.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.71 $2.71

1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.09 $3.09

-10.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.43 $2.43

-8.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.47 $2.47

20.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.94 $11.94

17.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$24.20 $24.20

-36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.69 $1.69

52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.32 $4.32

-18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.26 $2.26

9.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.64 $2.64

26.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.58 $1.58

-9.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$23.68 $23.68

2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.07 $1.07

17.76%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.51%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.03%

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

$193 $193

$215 $215

-10.38%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$63.0 $63.0

8.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$65.2 $65.2

-6.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.44 $40.44

33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.22 $15.22

16.56%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,216 $2,216

-25.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.8K $23.8K

30.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$41.29 $41.29

60.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.90 $47.90

6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$76.3 $76.3

31.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$157 $157

-9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,079 $1,079

126.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$955 $955

75.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,831 $2,831

66.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,310 $2,310

21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,470 $2,470

66.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,233 $2,233

18.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,174 $5,174

-5.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.75

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for East Rutherford, 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%

East Rutherford, NJ

$955 41.2% 43.1% $723

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

East Rutherford, NJ

$453 19.5% 0.8% $3.7

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

East Rutherford, NJ

$332 14.3% 3.4% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

East Rutherford, NJ

$343 14.8% 6.5% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

East Rutherford, NJ

$145 6.3% 10.1% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

East Rutherford, NJ

$20 * 0.8% 79.4% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

East Rutherford, NJ

$71 3.1% 20.9% $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 $1,079 in East Rutherford, 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 6% higher in East Rutherford, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in East Rutherford, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $453 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 East Rutherford, NJ

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

04:48 4:48 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,319 in East Rutherford, NJ – roughly 35% 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 $3,478 in East Rutherford, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East Rutherford, 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 $100 in East Rutherford, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East Rutherford, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,319, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In East Rutherford, NJ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,319 in East Rutherford, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with East Rutherford, 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.