Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,854 in Jersey City, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
187

Cost of Living Index in Jersey City, NJ
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Jersey City, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Jersey City, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,854

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,854 in Jersey City, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Jersey City, NJ $3,854

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,348 in Jersey City, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Jersey City, NJ $5,348

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,841 in Jersey City, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Jersey City, NJ $6,841

Chicago, IL is about 17% cheaper than Jersey City, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Jersey City, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Jersey City, NJ by 186%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$25.34 $25.34

-14.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$99.9 $99.9

-11.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.83 $10.83

21.88%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.40 $5.40

3.52%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.17 $2.17

21.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.58 $1.58

43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.11 $8.11

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.18 $8.18

12.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.29 $1.29

-0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.20 $4.20

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$7.58 $7.58

-33.11%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$5.68 $5.68

-14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$12.52 $12.52

13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.68 $11.68

25.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$17.29 $17.29

8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.28 $5.28

-1.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.72 $1.72

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$6.44 $6.44

-37.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$6.13 $6.13

-18.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.66 $5.66

-50.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.82 $3.82

-30.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.89 $2.89

-26.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.81 $2.81

9.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$11.19 $11.19

43.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$24.79 $24.79

-38.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.77 $1.77

48.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.51 $5.51

-37.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.07 $3.07

-19.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$106 $106

-28.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.94 $2.94

9.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.00 $2.00

-30.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$24.20 $24.20

3.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.12 $1.12

10.71%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

1.14%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

0.22%

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

$192 $192

$209 $209

-8.14%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$73.2 $73.2

-7.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$64.8 $64.8

-6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$56.3 $56.3

-4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$43.47 $43.47

-35.82%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$14.60 $14.60

21.92%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$2,245 $2,245

-30.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$23.6K $23.6K

32.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$41.50 $41.50

63.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$58.2 $58.2

-12.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$74.8 $74.8

35.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$155 $155

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$3,501 $3,501

-31.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$2,282 $2,282

-24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$5,540 $5,540

-15.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$3,248 $3,248

-15.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$7,779 $7,779

-46.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$5,595 $5,595

-51.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$6,205 $6,205

-21.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.75

0.30%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jersey City, NJ: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Jersey City, NJ

$2.3K 59.2% 33.3% $570

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Jersey City, NJ

$488 12.7% 8.2% $37

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Jersey City, NJ

$372 9.7% 5.4% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Jersey City, NJ

$347 9% 8.2% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Jersey City, NJ

$148 3.8% 9.4% $15

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Jersey City, NJ

$131 3.4% 37.7% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Jersey City, NJ

$85 2.2% 4.1% $3.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $3,501 in Jersey City, 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 27% higher in Jersey City, NJ, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in Jersey City, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $488 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Jersey City, NJ

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

07:50 7:50 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

292,449

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Jersey City, NJ 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $3,854 in Jersey City, NJ – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,781 in Jersey City, 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Jersey City, NJ, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Jersey City, 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $3,854 in Jersey City, 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,854 in Jersey City, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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