Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Flanders, NJ: $2,527 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Flanders, NJ
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Flanders, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Flanders, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,527

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,527 in Flanders, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Flanders, NJ $2,527

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,750 in Flanders, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Flanders, NJ $3,750

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,974 in Flanders, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Flanders, NJ $4,974

Chicago, IL costs about 20% more than Flanders, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Flanders, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Flanders, NJ by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.17 $19.17

8.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$81.2 $81.2

9.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.86 $12.86

2.57%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.20 $6.20

-8.71%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.55 $2.55

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.48 $1.48

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$9.02 $9.02

-23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.03 $7.03

25.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.97 $0.97

28.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.60 $4.60

-19.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.02 $2.02

166.83%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.52 $2.52

88.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.82 $13.82

0.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.46 $10.46

37.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.88 $19.88

-7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.32 $4.32

20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.27 $1.27

55.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.81 $2.81

44.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.29 $5.29

-6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.24 $2.24

19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.73 $2.73

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.98 $2.98

5.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.82 $10.82

27.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.30 $15.30

-2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.86 $1.86

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.91 $1.91

27.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$53.4 $53.4

37.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.01 $3.01

5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.13 $2.13

-34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$42.46 $42.46

-41.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.08 $1.08

11.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.37%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.05%

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

$194 $194

$173 $173

12.52%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.2 $50.2

38.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.0 $50.0

23.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.61 $39.61

20.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.77 $13.77

29.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,986 $1,986

-9.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.0K $16.0K

99.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$29.44 $29.44

127.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.70 $41.70

25.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$69.5 $69.5

46.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,545 $1,545

63.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,265 $1,265

24.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,555 $2,555

85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,128 $2,128

26.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,848 $2,848

47.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,650 $2,650

4.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 25, 2026

Last update for Flanders, NJ: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Flanders, NJ

$1.3K 50% 19.9% $313

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Flanders, NJ

$397 15.7% 11.2% $50

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Flanders, NJ

$342 13.5% 1% $3.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Flanders, NJ

$273 10.8% 16.1% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Flanders, NJ

$109 4.3% 33.8% $55

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Flanders, NJ

$75 3% 20% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Flanders, NJ

$67 2.7% 19.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,545 in Flanders, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $81 in Flanders, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $397 – making Flanders, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Flanders, NJ

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

11:11 11:11 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Flanders, NJ 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,527 in Flanders, NJ – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,790 in Flanders, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Flanders, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,545 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Flanders, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,527, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Flanders, 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 $2,527 in Flanders, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Flanders, NJ is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 20% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.