Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,169 a month against $3,727 in Princeton, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
180

Cost of Living Index in Princeton, NJ
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Princeton, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Princeton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,169 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,727 in Princeton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,169
Princeton, NJ $3,727

A couple spends around $4,682 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,466 in Princeton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,682
Princeton, NJ $5,466

A family of three spends $6,196 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,206 in Princeton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,196
Princeton, NJ $7,206

Chicago, IL is about 15% cheaper than Princeton, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Princeton, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Princeton, NJ by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 $21.62

$20.25 $20.25

6.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 $91.2

$73.9 $73.9

23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$15.17 $15.17

-13.71%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.17 $5.17

11.80%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.55 $2.55

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.43 $2.43

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$8.11 $8.11

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$8.46 $8.46

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.71 $3.71

6.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.45 $7.45

-33.42%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$4.11 $4.11

12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$25.09 $25.09

-44.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.37 $14.37

$22.17 $22.17

-35.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.59 $18.59

$19.29 $19.29

-3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$6.50 $6.50

-17.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.45 $1.45

33.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$5.91 $5.91

-32.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.04 $5.04

-1.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.71 $2.71

3.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.17 $3.17

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.00 $3.00

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.91 $2.91

7.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.71 $15.71

$11.46 $11.46

37.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$25.31 $25.31

-39.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.78 $1.78

44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$7.99 $7.99

-56.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.22 $2.22

11.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 $74.4

$202 $202

-63.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 $3.23

$5.86 $5.86

-44.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.39 $2.39

-40.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$42.09 $42.09

-42.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.94 $0.94

32.98%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$37.2K $37.2K

-3.57%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.16%

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

$195 $195

$217 $217

-10.53%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$55.7 $55.7

24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$56.4 $56.4

10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 $54.5

$174 $174

-68.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

$45.19 $45.19

-38.48%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.04 $15.04

18.62%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$1,991 $1,991

-24.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$40.0K $40.0K

-22.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$38.55 $38.55

76.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$55.8 $55.8

-7.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$81.6 $81.6

24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$118 $118

19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$2,936 $2,936

-16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 $1,662

$1,931 $1,931

-13.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 $4,644

$4,989 $4,989

-6.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 $2,751

$3,330 $3,330

-17.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,036 $4,036

$5,535 $5,535

-27.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,677 $2,677

$3,496 $3,496

-23.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,861 $4,861

$6,303 $6,303

-22.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.28

7.80%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Last update for Princeton, NJ: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53%

Princeton, NJ

$1.9K 51.7% 16.2% $269

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3%

Princeton, NJ

$565 15.1% 25.6% $115

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3%

Princeton, NJ

$347 9.3% 1.9% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4%

Princeton, NJ

$329 8.8% 1.2% $3.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2%

Princeton, NJ

$132 3.5% 18.9% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Princeton, NJ

$229 6.1% 142% $134

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Princeton, NJ

$204 5.5% 126% $114

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,437 in Chicago, IL versus $2,936 in Princeton, 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 30% higher in Princeton, NJ, 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL versus $74.0 in Princeton, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $450 in Chicago, IL vs $565 in Princeton, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Princeton, NJ

🕒 Local time

20:28 8:28 PM

21:28 9:28 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

29,603

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Princeton, NJ 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,169 in Chicago, IL, $3,727 in Princeton, NJ – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,753 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,590 in Princeton, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% more in Princeton, NJ, 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL and $74.0 in Princeton, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,169 in Chicago, IL and $3,727 in Princeton, 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 $3,169 in Chicago, IL to $3,727 in Princeton, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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