Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Paterson, NJ: $2,779 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Paterson, NJ
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Paterson, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Paterson, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,779

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,779 in Paterson, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Paterson, NJ $2,779

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,169 in Paterson, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Paterson, NJ $4,169

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,560 in Paterson, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Paterson, NJ $5,560

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Paterson, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Paterson, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Paterson, NJ by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.82 $18.82

10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.3 $79.3

12.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.25 $14.25

-7.44%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.36 $6.36

-11.01%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.90 $2.90

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.03 $3.03

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.98 $7.98

-13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.14 $7.14

23.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.31 $1.31

-4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.55 $4.55

-18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.00 $6.00

-10.17%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.13 $6.13

-22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.17 $14.17

-2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.14 $10.14

42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.21 $19.21

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.94 $5.94

-12.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.28 $2.28

-13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.23 $4.23

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.36 $5.36

-7.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.03 $3.03

-11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.10 $3.10

-14.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.94 $2.94

-23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.71 $2.71

15.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.90 $14.90

-7.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.20 $15.20

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.77 $1.77

43.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

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

$3.02 $3.02

5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.11 $2.11

-34.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$42.53 $42.53

-41.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.10 $1.10

9.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.14%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.72%

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

$194 $194

$174 $174

11.63%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.3 $51.3

35.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$49.24 $49.24

25.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$20.41 $20.41

-12.74%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,009 $2,009

-10.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.1K $16.1K

98.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.90 $49.90

34.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$51.2 $51.2

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$111 $111

-8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$102 $102

40.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,500 $2,500

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,510 $1,510

4.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,497 $3,497

35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,687 $2,687

0.22%

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

$3,256 $3,256

51.43%

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 Paterson, NJ: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Paterson, NJ

$1.5K 54.3% 4.3% $68

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Paterson, NJ

$451 16.2% 0.8% $3.6

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Paterson, NJ

$348 12.5% 0.7% $2.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Paterson, NJ

$275 9.9% 15.6% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Paterson, NJ

$141 5.1% 13.8% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Paterson, NJ

$14 * 0.5% 85.5% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Paterson, NJ

$41 * 1.5% 51.1% $43

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 $2,500 in Paterson, 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 51% 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 $79 in Paterson, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $451 in Paterson, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Paterson, NJ

🕒 Local time

01:32 1:32 AM

02:32 2:32 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

147,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,779 in Paterson, NJ – Paterson, NJ comes out roughly 8% 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 $4,168 in Paterson, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,500 in Paterson, NJ. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,009 in Paterson, 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 $2,779 in Paterson, NJ. That makes Paterson, NJ about 8% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,779 in Paterson, 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 $2,779 in Paterson, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Paterson, 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.