Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Montclair, NJ: $2,899 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 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
140

Cost of Living Index in Montclair, NJ
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Montclair, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Montclair, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,899

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,899 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Montclair, NJ $2,899

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,264 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Montclair, NJ $4,264

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,629 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Montclair, NJ $5,629

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Montclair, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Montclair, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Montclair, NJ by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.04 $20.04

3.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.7 $80.7

10.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.14 $13.14

0.38%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.35 $6.35

-10.87%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.45 $2.45

7.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.46 $1.46

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.14 $8.14

-15.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.17 $7.17

23.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.27 $1.27

-1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.48 $4.48

-16.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.05 $6.05

-10.91%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.13 $6.13

-22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.76 $13.76

0.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.20 $10.20

41.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.41 $19.41

-5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.04 $6.04

-13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.22 $4.22

-3.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.44 $5.44

-8.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.14 $3.14

-14.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.00 $3.00

-11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.90 $2.90

-22.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.71 $2.71

15.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.55 $14.55

-5.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.14 $15.14

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.86 $1.86

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.57 $3.57

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.06 $3.06

3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.19 $2.19

-36.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$42.69 $42.69

-41.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.13 $1.13

6.19%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.02%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.86%

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

$194 $194

$170 $170

14.10%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.6 $51.6

34.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.5 $50.5

21.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$80.8 $80.8

-40.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$20.23 $20.23

-11.96%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,998 $1,998

-10.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.2K $16.2K

97.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$70.1 $70.1

-4.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$51.0 $51.0

2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,261 $2,261

11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,540 $1,540

2.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,631 $3,631

30.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,557 $2,557

5.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.8

0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Montclair, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Montclair, NJ

$1.5K 53.1% 2.4% $38

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Montclair, NJ

$451 15.6% 0.7% $3.3

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Montclair, NJ

$347 12% 0.5% $1.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Montclair, NJ

$273 9.4% 16.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Montclair, NJ

$154 5.3% 6.2% $10

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Montclair, NJ

$14 * 0.5% 85% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Montclair, NJ

$121 4.2% 45.2% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,261 in Montclair, 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 $81 in Montclair, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $451 in Montclair, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Montclair, NJ

🕒 Local time

17:10 5:10 PM

18:10 6:10 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

37,669

💱 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 Montclair, NJ 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,899 in Montclair, NJ – Montclair, NJ comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,348 in Montclair, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montclair, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,261 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,998 in Montclair, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,899 in Montclair, NJ. That makes Montclair, NJ about 5% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,899 in Montclair, 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 $2,899 in Montclair, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.