Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and West New York, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in West New York, NJ: $1,328 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $22,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in West New York, NJ
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West New York, NJ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

West New York, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$1,328

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,328 in West New York, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
West New York, NJ $1,328

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,216 in West New York, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
West New York, NJ $2,216

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,105 in West New York, NJ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
West New York, NJ $3,105

Chicago, IL costs about 140% more than West New York, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Chicago, IL sits 136% above the global median, while West New York, NJ is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$19.37 $19.37

11.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$80.7 $80.7

9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$12.85 $12.85

2.72%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.14 $5.14

8.75%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.47 $2.47

6.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.12 $1.12

101.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$5.83 $5.83

21.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$7.11 $7.11

29.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.33 $1.33

-3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.61 $4.61

-16.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.14 $6.14

-17.43%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$5.09 $5.09

-4.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$13.84 $13.84

2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.32 $10.32

41.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$19.61 $19.61

-4.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.08 $6.08

-14.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.60 $3.60

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.22 $4.22

-5.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.20 $5.20

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.11 $3.11

-10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.11 $3.11

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.00 $3.00

-29.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.07 $3.07

0.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$12.15 $12.15

32.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.23 $15.23

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.85 $1.85

41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.56 $3.56

-2.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.73 $3.73

-33.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$125 $125

-39.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.05 $3.05

5.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.14 $2.14

-35.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$41.57 $41.57

-39.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.86 $0.86

44.19%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$35.5K $35.5K

4.66%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.0K $25.0K

3.34%

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

$192 $192

$85.6 $85.6

124.73%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$49.16 $49.16

37.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$50.7 $50.7

20.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$29.02 $29.02

84.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$20.62 $20.62

-13.68%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,980 $1,980

-21.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$15.9K $15.9K

97.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$49.87 $49.87

36.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$81.3 $81.3

-37.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$86.4 $86.4

17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$101 $101

41.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,629 $2,629

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$5,369 $5,369

-8.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.36

6.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for West New York, NJ: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

West New York, NJ

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

West New York, NJ

$462 34.8% 2.5% $11

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

West New York, NJ

$313 23.6% 11.3% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

West New York, NJ

$185 14% 42.2% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

West New York, NJ

$143 10.8% 12.3% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

West New York, NJ

$153 11.5% 61.1% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

West New York, NJ

$70 5.3% 21.2% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,629 in West New York, 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 10% higher in West New York, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $81.0 in West New York, NJ. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Chicago, IL vs $462 in West New York, NJ – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 West New York, NJ

🕒 Local time

12:12 12:12 PM

13:12 1:12 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

49,708

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL West New York, NJ 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $1,328 in West New York, NJ – roughly 140% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,992 in West New York, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $81.0 in West New York, NJ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $1,328 in West New York, 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 $1,328 in West New York, NJ to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with West New York, 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.