Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Millville, NJ: $2,250 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Millville, NJ
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Millville, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Millville, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,250

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,250 in Millville, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Millville, NJ $2,250

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,374 in Millville, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Millville, NJ $3,374

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,498 in Millville, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Millville, NJ $4,498

Chicago, IL costs about 40% more than Millville, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Millville, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Millville, NJ by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.02 $18.02

14.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$96.9 $96.9

-6.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.86 $10.86

19.15%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.29 $5.29

5.86%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.42 $3.42

-22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.70 $2.70

-15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.88 $6.88

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.16 $8.16

8.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.05 $1.05

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.77 $3.77

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.21 $4.21

25.89%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$1.39 $1.39

242.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$5.58 $5.58

150.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$7.23 $7.23

102.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$8.78 $8.78

113.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.01 $2.01

158.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.22 $1.22

62.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.81 $5.81

-32.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.82 $2.82

75.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.19 $2.19

26.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.83 $2.83

-2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.54 $1.54

44.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.99 $0.99

201.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$6.79 $6.79

106.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$8.81 $8.81

73.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.62 $2.62

-1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.78 $3.78

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.04 $2.04

21.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$33.61 $33.61

122.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.77 $1.77

88.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.39 $1.39

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.31 $24.31

0.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.9K $33.9K

3.25%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.32%

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

$193 $193

$101 $101

90.53%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$14.78 $14.78

361.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$24.83 $24.83

146.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.02 $42.02

28.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$7.92 $7.92

123.99%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$903 $903

82.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$34.4K $34.4K

-9.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$30.35 $30.35

117.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$29.80 $29.80

71.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$93.9 $93.9

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$111 $111

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,587 $1,587

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,293 $1,293

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,551 $2,551

84.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,128 $2,128

31.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,673 $2,673

53.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,402 $2,402

10.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$6,376 $6,376

-23.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.89

15.62%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Millville, NJ: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Millville, NJ

$1.3K 57.5% 22.9% $385

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Millville, NJ

$273 12.1% 39.2% $176

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Millville, NJ

$315 14% 8.2% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Millville, NJ

$141 6.3% 56.3% $182

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Millville, NJ

$119 5.3% 26% $42

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Millville, NJ

$50 2.2% 47% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Millville, NJ

$58 2.6% 35.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,587 in Millville, 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 31% higher in Millville, NJ, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $97.0 in Millville, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $273 in Millville, NJ – so Millville, NJ wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Millville, NJ

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

23:09 11:09 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

27,000

💱 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 Millville, NJ 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,250 in Millville, NJ – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,375 in Millville, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Millville, NJ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Chicago, IL, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $97.0 in Millville, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Millville, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,250, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Millville, 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 $2,250 in Millville, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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