Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Long Branch, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Long Branch, NJ: $2,692 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Long Branch, NJ
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Long Branch, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Long Branch, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Long Branch, NJ $2,692

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,706 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Long Branch, NJ $3,706

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,720 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Long Branch, NJ $4,720

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Long Branch, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Long Branch, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Long Branch, NJ by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.97 $19.97

3.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.4 $75.4

18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.98 $12.98

1.62%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.02 $5.02

12.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.78 $2.78

-5.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.97 $3.97

73.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.96 $6.96

27.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.62 $4.62

-19.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.39 $4.39

22.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.48 $6.48

-26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.54 $10.54

31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.85 $10.85

32.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.14 $19.14

-3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.47 $5.47

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.60 $1.60

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.40 $3.40

19.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.12 $3.12

59.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.25 $2.25

18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.49 $2.49

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.72 $2.72

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.83 $2.83

10.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.69 $13.69

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.82 $16.82

-11.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.92 $1.92

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.76 $2.76

27.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.19 $2.19

10.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$62.0 $62.0

18.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.94 $5.94

-46.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.54 $1.54

-9.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$31.68 $31.68

-20.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.49%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.17%

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

$194 $194

$179 $179

8.37%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$37.21 $37.21

86.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.8 $59.8

3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.08 $36.08

32.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.42 $12.42

43.40%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,152 $2,152

-16.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

49.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$38.46 $38.46

74.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$16.42 $16.42

217.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100.0 $100.0

1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$126 $126

13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,440 $1,440

75.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,417 $1,417

11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,815 $2,815

68.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,870 $1,870

43.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,782 $2,782

50.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,109 $2,109

31.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Long Branch, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Long Branch, NJ

$1.4K 52.7% 10.2% $161

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Long Branch, NJ

$415 15.4% 7.2% $32

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Long Branch, NJ

$312 11.6% 9.6% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Long Branch, NJ

$276 10.3% 15.1% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Long Branch, NJ

$126 4.7% 22.9% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Long Branch, NJ

$84 3.1% 9.6% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Long Branch, NJ

$61 2.3% 27.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,440 in Long Branch, 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 $75 in Long Branch, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $415 – making Long Branch, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Long Branch, NJ

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

17:35 5:35 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

32,314

💱 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 Long Branch, NJ 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ – Long Branch, NJ comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,039 in Long Branch, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Long Branch, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,440 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Long Branch, 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 Long Branch, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,692, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Long Branch, 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 $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Long Branch, NJ is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 11% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.