Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,092 in Hoboken, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

198

Cost of Living Index in Hoboken, NJ
Learn more

Hoboken, NJ Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Hoboken, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$4,092

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,092 per month in Hoboken, NJ vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hoboken, NJ $4,092
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,047 per month in Hoboken, NJ vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hoboken, NJ $6,047
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $8,001 per month in Hoboken, NJ vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hoboken, NJ $8,001
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hoboken, NJ costs about 35% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Hoboken, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hoboken, NJ by 201%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.97 $18.97

$20.71 $20.71

-8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$89.2 $89.2

-14.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$13.19 $13.19

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$3.97 $3.97

$5.66 $5.66

-29.86%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$2.64 $2.64

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.28 $2.28

-35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$6.87 $6.87

14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$8.84 $8.84

0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.25 $1.25

0.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.72 $3.72

17.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$5.39 $5.39

15.21%

Eggs

$5.45 $5.45

$4.74 $4.74

14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 $13.73

$13.84 $13.84

-0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$14.40 $14.40

-29.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.54 $19.54

$18.38 $18.38

6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$5.22 $5.22

13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.98 $1.98

71.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$4.06 $4.06

5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.97 $4.97

3.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.67 $2.67

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.66 $2.66

10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.24 $2.24

39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.13 $3.13

-36.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$13.82 $13.82

-13.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 $15.13

$14.88 $14.88

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.54 $2.54

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.51 $3.51

-17.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.43 $2.43

16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 $102

$73.5 $73.5

38.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.18 $3.18

-7.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.39 $1.39

-30.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.89 $41.89

$25.03 $25.03

67.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.62%

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

$11.8K $11.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-55.80%

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

$121 $121

$194 $194

-37.59%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$69.5 $69.5

-26.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$61.6 $61.6

34.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$47.90 $47.90

62.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.59 $24.59

$27.34 $27.34

-10.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.34 $17.34

$17.81 $17.81

-2.64%

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

$2,797 $2,797

$1,794 $1,794

55.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.5K $33.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

4.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$67.0 $67.0

15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.8 $61.8

$52.1 $52.1

18.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$102 $102

-13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$144 $144

13.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,970 $3,970

$2,526 $2,526

57.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,578 $1,578

69.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,053 $7,053

$4,738 $4,738

48.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,787 $4,787

$2,693 $2,693

77.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K $10.1K

$4,190 $4,190

140.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,917 $7,917

$4,931 $4,931

60.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.81

-10.43%

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

Last update for Hoboken, NJ: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hoboken, NJ

$2.7K 65.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 41.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Hoboken, NJ

$443 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 1% $4.2

Eating Out

Hoboken, NJ

$307 7.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 12.3% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hoboken, NJ

$255 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 27.7% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Hoboken, NJ

$175 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 6.6% $12

Getting Around

Hoboken, NJ

$121 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 23% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Hoboken, NJ

$112 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 25.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,970 in Hoboken, 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 61% higher in Hoboken, NJ. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Hoboken, NJ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $443 vs $447 – making Hoboken, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hoboken, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:33 2:33 AM

01:33 1:33 AM

1 h behind Hoboken, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

39,853

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Hoboken, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,092 in Hoboken, NJ, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,138 per month in Hoboken, NJ and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,970 in Hoboken, NJ.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Hoboken, NJ and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,092 in Hoboken, NJ and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $4,092 in Hoboken, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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