Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,122 in Edison, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Edison, NJ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
151

Cost of Living Index in Edison, NJ
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Edison, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Edison, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,122

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,122 in Edison, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Edison, NJ $3,122

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,397 in Edison, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Edison, NJ $4,397

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,671 in Edison, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Edison, NJ $5,671

Chicago, IL is about 3% cheaper than Edison, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Edison, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Edison, NJ by 129%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.26 $18.26

13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.8 $59.8

49.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.17 $9.17

43.84%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.08 $4.08

38.73%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.03 $1.03

156.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.98 $0.98

132.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.44 $3.44

99.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.82 $6.82

29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.22 $3.22

15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.14 $6.14

-12.21%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.54 $2.54

86.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.49 $13.49

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.34 $10.34

39.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.70 $19.70

-6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.93 $5.93

-11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.54 $1.54

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.32 $4.32

-6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.40 $5.40

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.01 $3.01

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.11 $3.11

-14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.10 $3.10

-27.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.96 $1.96

59.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.05 $10.05

37.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.72 $14.72

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.54 $3.54

-0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$5.84 $5.84

-58.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$199 $199

-62.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.05 $3.05

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.91 $0.91

52.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$42.35 $42.35

-40.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.59%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.20%

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

$194 $194

$170 $170

14.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.4 $51.4

35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.6 $50.6

21.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$21.98 $21.98

117.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.98 $14.98

18.89%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,006 $2,006

-10.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$15.8K $15.8K

102.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.8 $50.8

31.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$80.2 $80.2

-35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$61.1 $61.1

66.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$88.5 $88.5

62.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,171 $2,171

16.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,772 $1,772

-10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,129 $3,129

51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,722 $2,722

-1.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,960 $6,960

-29.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.42

6.07%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Edison, NJ: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Edison, NJ

$1.8K 56.8% 12.3% $194

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Edison, NJ

$408 13.1% 8.8% $39

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Edison, NJ

$261 8.4% 24.2% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Edison, NJ

$272 8.7% 16.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Edison, NJ

$126 4.1% 23% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Edison, NJ

$230 7.4% 146% $136

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Edison, NJ

$52 1.7% 37.8% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,171 in Edison, 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 41% higher in Edison, NJ. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $60 in Edison, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $408 – making Edison, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Edison, NJ

🕒 Local time

17:07 5:07 PM

18:07 6:07 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

107,588

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Edison, NJ 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,122 in Edison, NJ – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,682 in Edison, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edison, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,171 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Edison, NJ – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Edison, NJ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,122 in Edison, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,122 in Edison, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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