Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Trenton, NJ: $2,563 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 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 Trenton, NJ
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Trenton, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,563

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,563 in Trenton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Trenton, NJ $2,563

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,114 in Trenton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Trenton, NJ $4,114

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,665 in Trenton, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Trenton, NJ $5,665

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Trenton, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Trenton, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Trenton, NJ by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.22 $18.22

13.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$65.4 $65.4

36.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.20 $12.20

8.11%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.86 $4.86

16.46%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.63 $2.63

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.15 $2.15

6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.97 $6.97

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.77 $7.77

13.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.21 $1.21

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.95 $3.95

-5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.74 $1.74

209.77%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.79 $4.79

-1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.27 $12.27

12.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.07 $10.07

43.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.81 $10.81

70.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.39 $4.39

18.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.36 $3.36

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.42 $4.42

12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.03 $2.03

31.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.40 $3.40

-21.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.97 $1.97

13.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.03 $2.03

54.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.66 $14.66

-5.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$7.86 $7.86

89.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.67 $2.67

-4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.40 $3.40

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.81 $1.81

34.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$56.4 $56.4

30.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.12 $2.12

-34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$42.52 $42.52

-41.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.92 $0.92

30.43%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.8K $30.8K

13.80%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.06%

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

$194 $194

$139 $139

39.58%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.8 $60.8

14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$63.0 $63.0

-2.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$30.07 $30.07

59.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.53 $12.53

42.14%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$3,019 $3,019

-40.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$34.7K $34.7K

-7.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.6 $61.6

8.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$50.5 $50.5

3.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.4 $89.4

13.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,724 $1,724

46.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,362 $1,362

15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,398 $2,398

97.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,991 $2,991

-9.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,075 $3,075

36.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,069 $3,069

-9.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,335 $3,335

47.86%

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 Trenton, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Trenton, NJ

$1.4K 53.2% 13.7% $216

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Trenton, NJ

$350 13.6% 21.9% $98

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Trenton, NJ

$310 12.1% 10.1% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Trenton, NJ

$263 10.3% 19.2% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Trenton, NJ

$145 5.7% 11.4% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Trenton, NJ

$77 3% 17.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Trenton, NJ

$55 2.2% 34% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,724 in Trenton, 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 48% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $65 in Trenton, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $350 – making Trenton, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Trenton, NJ

🕒 Local time

01:08 1:08 AM

02:08 2:08 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

83,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Trenton, NJ 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,563 in Trenton, NJ – Trenton, NJ comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,844 in Trenton, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trenton, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,724 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $65 in Trenton, 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 Trenton, NJ, where all-in costs run around $2,563, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Trenton, 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 $2,563 in Trenton, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Trenton, 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.