Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Red Bank, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Red Bank, NJ: $2,542 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Red Bank, NJ
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Red Bank, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Red Bank, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,542

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,542 in Red Bank, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Red Bank, NJ $2,542

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,610 in Red Bank, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Red Bank, NJ $3,610

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,679 in Red Bank, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Red Bank, NJ $4,679

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Red Bank, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Red Bank, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Red Bank, NJ by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.67 $19.67

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$73.6 $73.6

20.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.73 $9.73

32.07%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.06 $5.06

14.23%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.39 $2.39

14.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.10 $2.10

7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.12 $4.12

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.96 $4.96

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.05 $1.05

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.52 $4.52

-21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.41 $4.41

22.00%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$6.47 $6.47

-29.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.49 $10.49

30.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.81 $10.81

30.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.35 $19.35

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.44 $5.44

-5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.25 $3.25

19.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.12 $3.12

54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.15 $2.15

30.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.45 $2.45

8.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.76 $2.76

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.98 $2.98

1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$13.74 $13.74

1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.19 $17.19

-12.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.91 $1.91

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.74 $2.74

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.12 $2.12

14.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$54.8 $54.8

37.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.66 $3.66

-13.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.21 $2.21

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$48.20 $48.20

-48.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.08 $1.08

18.52%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.26%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.51%

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

$192 $192

$199 $199

-3.49%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$36.53 $36.53

90.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$62.5 $62.5

-0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.23 $39.23

21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.28 $12.28

45.20%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,168 $2,168

-16.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$34.9K $34.9K

16.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$38.73 $38.73

70.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$16.63 $16.63

209.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$98.1 $98.1

5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$129 $129

11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,552 $1,552

63.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,263 $1,263

28.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,421 $2,421

99.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,853 $1,853

47.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,624 $2,624

58.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,427 $2,427

12.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,573 $4,573

7.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.5

4.31%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Red Bank, NJ: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Red Bank, NJ

$1.3K 49.7% 22.1% $358

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Red Bank, NJ

$416 16.4% 5.3% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Red Bank, NJ

$296 11.6% 14% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Red Bank, NJ

$298 11.7% 8% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Red Bank, NJ

$127 5% 22.4% $37

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Red Bank, NJ

$78 3.1% 19.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Red Bank, NJ

$64 2.5% 23.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,552 in Red Bank, 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 8% 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 $74 in Red Bank, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $416 – making Red Bank, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Red Bank, NJ

🕒 Local time

05:05 5:05 AM

06:05 6:05 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,850

💱 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 Red Bank, NJ 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,542 in Red Bank, NJ – Red Bank, NJ comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,812 in Red Bank, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Red Bank, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,552 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Red Bank, NJ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Red Bank, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,542, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Red Bank, NJ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,542 in Red Bank, NJ to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Red Bank, 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.