Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and West Caldwell, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in West Caldwell, NJ: $2,828 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in West Caldwell, NJ
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West Caldwell, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

West Caldwell, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,828

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
West Caldwell, NJ $2,828

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,976 in West Caldwell, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
West Caldwell, NJ $3,976

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,123 in West Caldwell, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
West Caldwell, NJ $5,123

Chicago, IL costs about 11% more than West Caldwell, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and West Caldwell, NJ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, West Caldwell, NJ by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$21.87 $21.87

-5.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$79.2 $79.2

13.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.69 $12.69

1.97%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.29 $5.29

5.86%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.00 $3.00

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.30 $2.30

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.83 $5.83

19.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.85 $7.85

12.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.40 $1.40

-9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.42 $4.42

-14.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$7.20 $7.20

-26.39%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.10 $5.10

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.32 $12.32

13.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.94 $12.94

12.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.08 $18.08

3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.41 $5.41

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.06 $5.06

-22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.29 $5.29

-6.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.86 $2.86

-3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.08 $3.08

-10.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.50 $2.50

-11.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.42 $2.42

23.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.02 $12.02

16.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.29 $15.29

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.40 $2.40

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.43 $4.43

-20.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.28 $2.28

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.71 $2.71

23.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.54 $1.54

-7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.39 $24.39

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.10 $1.10

14.55%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.4K $31.4K

11.62%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.22%

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

$193 $193

$217 $217

-11.32%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$63.1 $63.1

8.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$65.3 $65.3

-6.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$38.56 $38.56

40.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.60 $15.60

13.72%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,198 $2,198

-24.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$42.8K $42.8K

-27.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$47.95 $47.95

37.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.46 $47.46

7.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$103 $103

-3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$138 $138

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,626 $1,626

50.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,447 $1,447

15.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,196 $2,196

114.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,075 $2,075

34.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,488 $2,488

65.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,482 $2,482

6.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,996 $2,996

62.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.62

2.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for West Caldwell, NJ: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

West Caldwell, NJ

$1.4K 51.2% 13.7% $230

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

West Caldwell, NJ

$451 16% 0.4% $1.9

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

West Caldwell, NJ

$343 12.1% 0.3% $0.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

West Caldwell, NJ

$346 12.2% 7.3% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

West Caldwell, NJ

$152 5.4% 5.9% $9.5

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

West Caldwell, NJ

$20 * 0.7% 79.5% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

West Caldwell, NJ

$70 2.5% 22.1% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,626 in West Caldwell, 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 62% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $79.0 in West Caldwell, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $451 in West Caldwell, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 West Caldwell, NJ

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

01:57 1:57 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,797

💱 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 West Caldwell, NJ 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,242 in West Caldwell, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $79.0 in West Caldwell, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,828 in West Caldwell, 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 $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. 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 West Caldwell, NJ. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.