Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Teaneck, NJ: $2,626 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Teaneck, NJ
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Teaneck, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Teaneck, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,626

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,626 in Teaneck, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Teaneck, NJ $2,626

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,913 in Teaneck, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Teaneck, NJ $3,913

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,200 in Teaneck, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Teaneck, NJ $5,200

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Teaneck, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Teaneck, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Teaneck, NJ by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.11 $19.11

8.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.4 $78.4

13.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.87 $11.87

11.12%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.52 $5.52

2.54%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.53 $1.53

49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.97 $7.97

-13.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.06 $7.06

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.30 $1.30

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.65 $3.65

1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.16 $6.16

-12.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.37 $6.37

-25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.22 $14.22

-2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.09 $10.09

42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.99 $19.99

-8.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.09 $6.09

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.64 $3.64

-45.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.23 $4.23

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.27 $5.27

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.10 $3.10

-13.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.97 $2.97

-10.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.51 $2.51

-10.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.48 $2.48

26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.71 $14.71

-6.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.93 $14.93

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.84 $1.84

38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.29 $3.29

6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.22 $2.22

9.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$68.8 $68.8

6.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.99 $2.99

6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.14 $2.14

-35.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$41.46 $41.46

-39.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.15 $1.15

4.35%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.75%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.42%

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

$194 $194

$175 $175

11.21%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.7 $50.7

37.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$49.87 $49.87

23.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.97 $41.97

14.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$20.38 $20.38

-12.61%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,040 $2,040

-12.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.0K $16.0K

99.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.4 $50.4

32.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$76.5 $76.5

-31.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$87.0 $87.0

16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

41.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,572 $1,572

60.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,261 $1,261

25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,570 $2,570

84.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,122 $2,122

26.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,791 $2,791

50.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,322 $2,322

19.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,233 $5,233

-5.78%

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 Teaneck, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Teaneck, NJ

$1.3K 48% 20.1% $317

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Teaneck, NJ

$449 17.1% 0.4% $1.6

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Teaneck, NJ

$325 12.4% 5.8% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Teaneck, NJ

$275 10.5% 15.4% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Teaneck, NJ

$142 5.4% 13.5% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Teaneck, NJ

$91 3.5% 2.1% $1.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Teaneck, NJ

$83 3.2% 0.9% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,572 in Teaneck, 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 6% higher in Teaneck, NJ, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $78 in Teaneck, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $449 in Teaneck, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Teaneck, NJ

🕒 Local time

16:20 4:20 PM

17:20 5:20 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

39,610

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Teaneck, NJ 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Teaneck, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,626 in Teaneck, NJ – Teaneck, NJ comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,939 in Teaneck, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Teaneck, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,572 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $78 in Teaneck, NJ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Teaneck, NJ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,626 in Teaneck, 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 $2,626 in Teaneck, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.