Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Jersey City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Jersey City, NJ

🙂 Solo nomad: Chicago, IL is 1.7% cheaper than Jersey City, NJ without rent, and 21.8% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chicago, IL is 1.3% cheaper than Jersey City, NJ without rent, and 12.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.82 $20.82

$19.64 $19.64

6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$98.3 $98.3

2.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$13.75 $13.75

-12.95%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.47 $5.47

1.65%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$2.34 $2.34

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.89 $1.89

28.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$7.2 $7.2

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 $8.45

$8.94 $8.94

-5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.29 $1.29

-19.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.87 $3.87

7.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$5.31 $5.31

3.95%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$4.69 $4.69

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 $14.33

$21.11 $21.11

-32.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.01 $12.01

23.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$17.07 $17.07

13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$4.89 $4.89

5.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.74 $1.74

-1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.04 $4.04

9.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.3 $4.3

4.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.92 $2.92

-13.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.84 $3.84

-28.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.37 $2.37

2.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.7 $2.7

$2.64 $2.64

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.01 $12.01

26.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$15.22 $15.22

7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.75 $1.75

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.7 $3.7

$5.87 $5.87

-36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.71 $2.71

-6.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

$94.1 $94.1

-21.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.93 $2.93

13.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.71 $1.71

-16.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.42 $25.42

$24.32 $24.32

4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.9 $0.9

20.00%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$34.6K $34.6K

-6.20%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.49%

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

$188 $188

$125 $125

50.67%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$45.77 $45.77

39.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$63.8 $63.8

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 $76.7

$80.5 $80.5

-4.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

$43.68 $43.68

-70.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$17.07 $17.07

-12.54%

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

$2,063 $2,063

$2,228 $2,228

-7.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$23.8K $23.8K

64.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 $64.3

$73.9 $73.9

-12.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$63.9 $63.9

-17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$74 $74

28.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$136 $136

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$3,312 $3,312

-28.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$2,412 $2,412

-34.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,763 $4,763

$6,083 $6,083

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 $2,815

$3,621 $3,621

-22.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,588 $3,588

$7,420 $7,420

-51.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$5,834 $5,834

-57.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,275 $5,275

$5,892 $5,892

-10.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.62

-0.30%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

Last update for Jersey City, NJ: October 27, 2025

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