Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Perth Amboy, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Perth Amboy, NJ: $2,684 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Perth Amboy, NJ
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Perth Amboy, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Perth Amboy, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,684

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,684 in Perth Amboy, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Perth Amboy, NJ $2,684

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,774 in Perth Amboy, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Perth Amboy, NJ $3,774

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,865 in Perth Amboy, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Perth Amboy, NJ $4,865

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Perth Amboy, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Perth Amboy, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Perth Amboy, NJ by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.32 $19.32

6.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$78.5 $78.5

15.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.14 $13.14

-1.52%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.28 $6.28

-10.83%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.52 $2.52

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.51 $1.51

50.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.90 $8.90

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.13 $7.13

23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.14 $1.14

11.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.23 $2.23

70.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.16 $6.16

-13.96%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.93 $2.93

62.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.68 $13.68

2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.45 $10.45

39.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.90 $19.90

-5.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.96 $5.96

-12.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.51 $3.51

-43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.33 $4.33

-9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.22 $5.22

-4.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.40 $1.40

97.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.40 $1.40

97.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.46 $1.46

52.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.99 $2.99

-0.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$14.80 $14.80

-5.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.21 $12.21

25.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.84 $1.84

40.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.62 $3.62

-3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.81 $1.81

36.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.04 $3.04

9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.11 $2.11

-32.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$42.43 $42.43

-42.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.30%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.5K $25.5K

2.16%

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

$193 $193

$170 $170

13.12%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$24.07 $24.07

183.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$49.71 $49.71

23.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.11 $41.11

31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.68 $17.68

0.34%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,026 $2,026

-18.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$16.2K $16.2K

91.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$33.62 $33.62

96.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.44 $40.44

26.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$77.1 $77.1

29.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$96.4 $96.4

46.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,617 $1,617

51.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,480 $1,480

13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,211 $2,211

113.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,137 $2,137

30.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,753 $2,753

49.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,425 $2,425

9.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,323 $3,323

46.44%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$1.5K 55.1% 11.8% $198

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$407 15.2% 9.4% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$344 12.8% 0.2% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$244 9.1% 24.2% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$111 4.2% 30.9% $50

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$21 * 0.8% 78.1% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$76 2.9% 14.7% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,617 in Perth Amboy, 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 46% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $78.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $407 – making Perth Amboy, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Perth Amboy, NJ

🕒 Local time

23:36 11:36 PM

00:36 12:36 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

48,607

💱 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 Perth Amboy, NJ 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,684 in Perth Amboy, NJ – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,026 in Perth Amboy, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $78.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,684 in Perth Amboy, 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 $2,684 in Perth Amboy, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Perth Amboy, 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.