Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Fort Lee, NJ is 20.1% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 3.3% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Fort Lee, NJ is 12.4% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 11.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.9 $19.9

$20.82 $20.82

-4.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$11.97 $11.97

3.93%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.56 $5.56

-0.54%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.11 $3.11

-22.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.42 $2.42

-47.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.83 $6.83

$6.86 $6.86

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$8.45 $8.45

8.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.04 $1.04

24.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.15 $4.15

-19.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.52 $5.52

-21.92%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$4.65 $4.65

-5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.98 $20.98

$14.33 $14.33

46.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12 $12

$14.88 $14.88

-19.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$19.34 $19.34

-10.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.17 $5.17

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.71 $1.71

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.41 $4.41

-12.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.51 $4.51

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.53 $2.53

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.74 $2.74

42.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.43 $2.43

0.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.7 $2.7

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12 $12

$15.19 $15.19

-21.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.1 $12.1

$16.42 $16.42

-26.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.35 $2.35

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.7 $3.7

57.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.53 $2.53

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.34 $3.34

-9.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.1 $2.1

$1.42 $1.42

47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.87 $23.87

$25.42 $25.42

-6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.08 $1.08

-13.89%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$32.4K $32.4K

-6.59%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.40%

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

$127 $127

$188 $188

-32.70%

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

$44.47 $44.47

$63.7 $63.7

-30.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$65.2 $65.2

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$127 $127

$76.7 $76.7

65.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$15.3 $15.3

$14.93 $14.93

2.48%

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

$1,998 $1,998

$2,063 $2,063

-3.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$39.2K $39.2K

-39.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 $73.7

$64.3 $64.3

14.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.9 $59.9

$52.4 $52.4

14.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 $70.2

$95.2 $95.2

-26.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$145 $145

-29.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 $2,249

$2,378 $2,378

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 $1,839

$1,584 $1,584

16.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,673 $4,673

$4,763 $4,763

-1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,851 $3,851

$2,815 $2,815

36.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,348 $4,348

$3,588 $3,588

21.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,712 $3,712

$2,490 $2,490

49.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,685 $6,685

$5,275 $5,275

26.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.6

-3.79%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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