Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ramsey, NJ: $2,676 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Ramsey, NJ
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Ramsey, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Ramsey, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,676

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,676 in Ramsey, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Ramsey, NJ $2,676

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,957 in Ramsey, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Ramsey, NJ $3,957

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,238 in Ramsey, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Ramsey, NJ $5,238

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Ramsey, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Ramsey, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Ramsey, NJ by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.27 $20.27

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$103 $103

-13.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.23 $12.23

7.85%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.52 $2.52

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.31 $2.31

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.23 $8.23

-16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.75 $8.75

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.18 $1.18

5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.63 $3.63

2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.27 $7.27

-25.86%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.94 $2.94

61.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.60 $15.60

-11.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.85 $16.85

-14.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.41 $16.41

12.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.94 $4.94

5.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.18 $2.18

-9.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.33 $5.33

-23.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.02 $6.02

-17.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.05 $4.05

-34.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.84 $4.84

-45.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.51 $2.51

-10.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.43 $2.43

28.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.18 $12.18

13.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.71 $14.71

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.79 $2.79

-8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.26 $3.26

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.14 $2.14

13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$68.1 $68.1

8.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.02 $3.02

5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.19 $2.19

-36.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$41.53 $41.53

-39.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.11 $1.11

8.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.5K $30.5K

14.94%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.28%

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

$194 $194

$121 $121

60.65%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.6 $60.6

14.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.5 $59.5

3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.38 $40.38

18.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.96 $15.96

11.59%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$3,073 $3,073

-41.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$34.8K $34.8K

-8.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$20.18 $20.18

232.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$75.2 $75.2

-30.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$30.39 $30.39

234.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

41.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$3,311 $3,311

-23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,356 $1,356

16.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,722 $2,722

74.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,103 $2,103

28.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,651 $2,651

58.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,370 $2,370

16.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ramsey, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Ramsey, NJ

$1.4K 50.7% 14.1% $222

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Ramsey, NJ

$469 17.5% 4.9% $22

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Ramsey, NJ

$344 12.9% 0.1% $0.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Ramsey, NJ

$241 9% 25.9% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Ramsey, NJ

$102 3.8% 37.6% $62

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Ramsey, NJ

$91 3.4% 3% $2.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Ramsey, NJ

$72 2.7% 13.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $3,311 in Ramsey, 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 $103 in Ramsey, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $469 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ramsey, NJ

🕒 Local time

01:28 1:28 AM

02:28 2:28 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

27,646

💱 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 Ramsey, NJ 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,676 in Ramsey, NJ – Ramsey, NJ comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,013 in Ramsey, 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,311 in Ramsey, NJ.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $103 in Ramsey, NJ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,676 in Ramsey, 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 $2,676 in Ramsey, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.