Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Newark, DE

For one person, living is cheaper in Newark, DE: $2,583 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Newark, DE
Learn more

Newark, DE Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Newark, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,583

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Newark, DE

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 Newark, DE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,583 in Newark, DE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Newark, DE $2,583

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,552 in Newark, DE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Newark, DE $3,552

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,521 in Newark, DE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Newark, DE $4,521

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Newark, DE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Newark, DE sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Newark, DE by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.90 $15.90

30.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.1 $59.1

50.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.84 $8.84

49.21%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.14 $5.14

10.12%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.50 $2.50

5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.69 $1.69

34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.96 $3.96

73.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.91 $5.91

49.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.83 $0.83

50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.03 $2.03

83.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.62 $2.62

105.73%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.88 $3.88

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.62 $9.62

43.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.72 $8.72

65.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.53 $15.53

18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.54 $4.54

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.34 $1.34

47.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.34 $4.34

-6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.08 $4.08

21.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.60 $2.60

2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.91 $1.91

17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.31 $1.31

138.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.61 $13.61

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.55 $14.55

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.60 $3.60

-2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$4.08 $4.08

-40.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$59.7 $59.7

23.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.95 $4.95

-35.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.07 $1.07

29.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.01 $23.01

8.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.94 $0.94

27.66%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$17.3K $17.3K

102.29%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$20.8K $20.8K

28.33%

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

$194 $194

$225 $225

-13.42%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.0 $51.0

36.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.8 $50.8

21.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.97 $12.97

37.32%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,919 $1,919

-6.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$27.8K $27.8K

14.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$45.70 $45.70

46.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.78 $39.78

31.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.9 $86.9

16.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$132 $132

8.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,508 $1,508

67.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,420 $1,420

11.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,626 $2,626

80.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,030 $2,030

32.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,553 $2,553

64.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,240 $2,240

23.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,275 $4,275

15.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.46

5.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Newark, DE: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Newark, DE

$1.4K 55% 10% $158

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Newark, DE

$323 12.5% 27.7% $124

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Newark, DE

$264 10.2% 23.5% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Newark, DE

$326 12.6% 0.2% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Newark, DE

$137 5.3% 16.4% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Newark, DE

$86 3.3% 7.5% $7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Newark, DE

$26 * 1% 68.9% $58

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 $1,508 in Newark, DE. 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 15% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $59 in Newark, DE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $323 – making Newark, DE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Newark, DE

🕒 Local time

02:05 2:05 AM

03:05 3:05 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

311,549

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Newark, DE 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Newark, DE

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 Newark, DE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,583 in Newark, DE – Newark, DE comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,875 in Newark, DE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newark, DE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,508 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Newark, DE. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,583 in Newark, DE. 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 $2,583 in Newark, DE to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Newark, DE. 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.