Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fort Lee, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
187

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lee, NJ
Learn more

Fort Lee, NJ Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fort Lee, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fort Lee, NJ $3,894

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,154 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fort Lee, NJ $6,154

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,415 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fort Lee, NJ $8,415

Chicago, IL is about 22% cheaper than Fort Lee, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Fort Lee, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fort Lee, NJ by 186%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.04 $25.04

-17.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$81.2 $81.2

9.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.95 $10.95

20.46%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.35 $5.35

5.79%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.19 $2.19

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.52 $1.52

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.18 $8.18

-16.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.02 $8.02

10.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.33 $1.33

-6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.84 $3.84

-3.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.79 $6.79

-20.62%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.63 $4.63

2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.55 $12.55

10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.86 $11.86

21.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.50 $17.50

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.45 $5.45

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.27 $6.27

-35.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.42 $5.42

-8.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.06 $4.06

-34.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.92 $3.92

-32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.90 $2.90

-22.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.73 $2.73

14.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.78 $11.78

17.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.86 $11.86

25.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.03 $2.03

72.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.71 $2.71

-10.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$135 $135

-45.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.01 $3.01

5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.10 $2.10

-33.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.13 $24.13

3.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

26.99%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.83%

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

$194 $194

$215 $215

-9.72%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$75.8 $75.8

-8.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.2 $64.2

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$127 $127

-62.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.55 $14.55

22.41%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,027 $2,027

-11.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.8K $23.8K

34.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$41.93 $41.93

59.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$57.6 $57.6

-9.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$77.6 $77.6

30.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$84.5 $84.5

70.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,927 $2,927

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,299 $2,299

-31.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$6,548 $6,548

-27.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$4,918 $4,918

-45.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,299 $4,299

-2.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,727 $3,727

-25.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,606 $6,606

-25.36%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fort Lee, NJ

$2.3K 59% 45.7% $721

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fort Lee, NJ

$438 11.2% 2.2% $9.7

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fort Lee, NJ

$369 9.5% 7% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fort Lee, NJ

$355 9.1% 9.2% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fort Lee, NJ

$118 3% 28.2% $46

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fort Lee, NJ

$159 4.1% 70.4% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fort Lee, NJ

$156 4% 86.7% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,927 in Fort Lee, 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 34% higher in Fort Lee, NJ. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $81 in Fort Lee, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $438 – making Fort Lee, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fort Lee, NJ

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

10:25 10:25 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

37,008

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Fort Lee, NJ 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,840 in Fort Lee, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $2,927 in Fort Lee, NJ.

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

Public transport costs about 45% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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