Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Middletown, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Middletown, NJ: $2,647 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Middletown, NJ
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Middletown, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Middletown, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,647

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,647 in Middletown, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Middletown, NJ $2,647

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,949 in Middletown, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Middletown, NJ $3,949

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,251 in Middletown, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Middletown, NJ $5,251

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Middletown, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Middletown, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Middletown, NJ by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.84 $19.84

2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$104 $104

-14.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.20 $12.20

5.33%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.52 $5.52

4.71%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.64 $2.64

3.79%

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

$6.42 $6.42

7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.05 $9.05

2.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.32 $1.32

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.56 $3.56

-0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.39 $5.39

-0.19%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.91 $3.91

16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.20 $13.20

3.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$6.71 $6.71

109.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$13.32 $13.32

35.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.40 $3.40

51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.56 $1.56

26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.68 $2.68

44.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.31 $4.31

12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.62 $1.62

73.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.33 $4.33

-38.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.56 $2.56

-19.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.46 $2.46

23.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.13 $9.13

52.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$20.15 $20.15

-25.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.80 $2.80

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.38 $3.38

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.19 $2.19

10.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$65.6 $65.6

14.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.02 $3.02

4.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.15 $2.15

-20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$42.59 $42.59

-41.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.15 $1.15

11.30%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$31.3K $31.3K

14.45%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.13%

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

$192 $192

$224 $224

-14.16%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$60.8 $60.8

14.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$61.3 $61.3

1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$36.02 $36.02

32.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$19.85 $19.85

-10.18%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$3,074 $3,074

-40.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.8K $20.8K

95.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$70.4 $70.4

-5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$76.1 $76.1

-32.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$121 $121

-14.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$122 $122

16.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,553 $1,553

62.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,258 $1,258

28.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,518 $2,518

91.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,106 $2,106

29.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,933 $2,933

41.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,558 $2,558

6.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,066 $3,066

60.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Middletown, 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%

Middletown, NJ

$1.3K 47.5% 22.4% $363

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Middletown, NJ

$372 14.1% 15.3% $67

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Middletown, NJ

$332 12.5% 3.6% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Middletown, NJ

$346 13.1% 6.8% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Middletown, NJ

$175 6.6% 7.2% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Middletown, NJ

$88 3.3% 8.8% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Middletown, NJ

$76 2.9% 9.3% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,553 in Middletown, 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 61% 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 $104 in Middletown, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $372 in Middletown, NJ – so Middletown, NJ wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Middletown, NJ

🕒 Local time

03:16 3:16 AM

04:16 4:16 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

27,812

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,647 in Middletown, NJ – Middletown, NJ comes out roughly 14% 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 $3,970 in Middletown, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middletown, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,553 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $104 in Middletown, 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 Middletown, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,647, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Middletown, 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 $2,647 in Middletown, NJ to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Middletown, 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.