Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Manalapan Township, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Manalapan Township, NJ: $2,560 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Manalapan Township, NJ
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Manalapan Township, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Manalapan Township, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,560

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,560 in Manalapan Township, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Manalapan Township, NJ $2,560

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,768 in Manalapan Township, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Manalapan Township, NJ $3,768

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,976 in Manalapan Township, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Manalapan Township, NJ $4,976

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

Both Chicago, IL and Manalapan Township, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Manalapan Township, NJ by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$23.61 $23.61

-13.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$90.9 $90.9

-2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.78 $11.78

9.08%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.24 $5.24

10.31%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.08 $2.08

31.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.35 $2.35

-3.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.15 $6.15

11.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.11 $8.11

13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.22 $1.22

3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.26 $3.26

8.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.15 $7.15

-24.76%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.12 $4.12

10.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.93 $11.93

14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$5.59 $5.59

151.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$10.98 $10.98

64.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.47 $4.47

15.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.57 $1.57

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.82 $3.82

1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.50 $5.50

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.00 $3.00

-6.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.35 $3.35

-20.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.04 $2.04

1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.06 $2.06

47.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.74 $11.74

18.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.81 $11.81

27.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.37 $2.37

10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.93 $2.93

17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.3 $60.3

24.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.77 $2.77

14.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.88 $1.88

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$26.79 $26.79

-7.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.10 $1.10

16.36%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$20.2K $20.2K

77.34%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.2K $22.2K

20.98%

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

$192 $192

$201 $201

-4.67%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$65.1 $65.1

6.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$66.7 $66.7

-6.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.64 $40.64

17.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.87 $11.87

50.21%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,064 $2,064

-12.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.6K $20.6K

96.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$24.66 $24.66

168.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$30.14 $30.14

70.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$60.3 $60.3

71.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$88.9 $88.9

60.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,556 $1,556

62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,287 $1,287

25.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,592 $2,592

86.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,115 $2,115

29.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,932 $2,932

41.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,485 $2,485

9.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,068 $4,068

21.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.82

-0.59%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Manalapan Township, NJ: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$1.3K 50.3% 20.6% $334

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$351 13.7% 20.1% $88

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$352 13.7% 2.2% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$333 13% 2.9% $9.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$92 3.6% 43.9% $72

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$80 3.1% 16.8% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Manalapan Township, NJ

$64 2.5% 22.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,556 in Manalapan Township, 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 21% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $91 in Manalapan Township, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $351 in Manalapan Township, NJ – so Manalapan Township, NJ wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Manalapan Township, NJ

🕒 Local time

13:01 1:01 PM

14:01 2:01 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

37,169

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Manalapan Township, NJ 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Chicago, IL
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Manalapan Township, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,560 in Manalapan Township, NJ – Manalapan Township, NJ comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,840 in Manalapan Township, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manalapan Township, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,556 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Manalapan Township, NJ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,560 in Manalapan Township, 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 $2,560 in Manalapan Township, NJ to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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