Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hackensack, NJ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

162

Cost of Living Index in Hackensack, NJ
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Hackensack, NJ Living Index
147

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

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Hackensack, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,387

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hackensack, NJ and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hackensack, NJ and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,387 per month in Hackensack, NJ vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hackensack, NJ $3,387
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,155 per month in Hackensack, NJ vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hackensack, NJ $5,155
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,923 per month in Hackensack, NJ vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hackensack, NJ $6,923
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hackensack, NJ costs about 12% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hackensack, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hackensack, NJ by 149%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 $25.17

$20.71 $20.71

21.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$89.2 $89.2

10.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$13.19 $13.19

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$5.66 $5.66

-3.89%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$2.64 $2.64

-9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.28 $2.28

-32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.87 $6.87

13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$8.84 $8.84

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.25 $1.25

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.72 $3.72

17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$5.39 $5.39

12.80%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$4.74 $4.74

25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 $12.53

$13.84 $13.84

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$14.40 $14.40

-44.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 $17.19

$18.38 $18.38

-6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.22 $5.22

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$4.06 $4.06

5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.97 $4.97

8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.67 $2.67

16.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.66 $2.66

11.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.24 $2.24

25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.13 $3.13

-6.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.70 $11.70

$13.82 $13.82

-15.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$14.88 $14.88

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.54 $2.54

-31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.51 $3.51

2.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.43 $2.43

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$73.5 $73.5

-19.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.18 $3.18

-3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.39 $1.39

51.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.30 $24.30

$25.03 $25.03

-2.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.20 $1.20

-10.00%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.72%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.46%

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

$213 $213

$194 $194

9.32%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$69.5 $69.5

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.74 $49.74

$61.6 $61.6

-19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.08 $45.08

$47.90 $47.90

-5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$20.12 $20.12

$17.81 $17.81

12.97%

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

$1,965 $1,965

$1,794 $1,794

9.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-49.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.27 $44.27

$67.0 $67.0

-33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 $56.8

$52.1 $52.1

8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$102 $102

-13.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$144 $144

-28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,356 $2,356

$2,526 $2,526

-6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 $1,968

$1,578 $1,578

24.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,211 $4,211

$4,738 $4,738

-11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,684 $3,684

$2,693 $2,693

36.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,608 $3,608

$4,190 $4,190

-13.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 $3,238

$2,768 $2,768

16.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,137 $6,137

$4,931 $4,931

24.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.81

-0.15%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hackensack, NJ

$2K 58.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 19.8% $390

Groceries & Markets

Hackensack, NJ

$423 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 5.8% $25

Eating Out

Hackensack, NJ

$377 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 8.4% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hackensack, NJ

$316 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.9% $9.1

Clothing & Footwear

Hackensack, NJ

$131 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 25.1% $33

Getting Around

Hackensack, NJ

$87 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 7.1% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Hackensack, NJ

$85 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 2.1% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,356 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 24% higher in Hackensack, NJ. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Hackensack, NJ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $423 in Hackensack, NJ vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Hackensack, NJ wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hackensack, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:04 2:04 PM

13:04 1:04 PM

1 h behind Hackensack, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,756

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Hackensack, NJ
Chicago, IL

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,081 per month in Hackensack, NJ and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,356 in Hackensack, NJ and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Hackensack, NJ – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Hackensack, NJ and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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 $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hackensack, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.