Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Howell Township, NJ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Howell Township, NJ: $2,681 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Howell Township, NJ
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Howell Township, NJ Living Index
146

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

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Howell Township, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,681

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,681 per month in Howell Township, NJ vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Howell Township, NJ $2,681
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,888 per month in Howell Township, NJ vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Howell Township, NJ $3,888
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,094 per month in Howell Township, NJ vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Howell Township, NJ $5,094
Chicago, IL $6,019

Howell Township, NJ is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Howell Township, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Howell Township, NJ by 98%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$20.39 $20.39

-1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$88.6 $88.6

-15.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$12.85 $12.85

-10.74%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$5.78 $5.78

-10.21%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.74 $2.74

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.26 $2.26

-13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$6.88 $6.88

-10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 $7.33

$9.24 $9.24

-20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.26 $1.26

15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.55 $3.55

10.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$5.38 $5.38

-25.09%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$4.55 $4.55

-6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$13.65 $13.65

-10.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$14.07 $14.07

-14.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$18.06 $18.06

-6.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$5.16 $5.16

3.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.98 $1.98

-35.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.88 $3.88

17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.83 $4.83

-6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.81 $2.81

11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.67 $2.67

-0.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.07 $2.07

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.03 $3.03

-24.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 $9.94

$13.90 $13.90

-28.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$15.05 $15.05

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.63 $2.63

-36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.45 $3.45

-6.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.43 $2.43

-27.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$75.3 $75.3

-21.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.17 $3.17

24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.70 $1.70

-4.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.46 $26.46

$24.90 $24.90

6.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.28 $1.28

-12.50%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.8K $35.8K

-24.32%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

7.32%

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

$198 $198

$192 $192

3.14%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$69.6 $69.6

-15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 $127

$62.2 $62.2

103.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 $40.27

$47.79 $47.79

-15.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 $14.12

$17.83 $17.83

-20.81%

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

$1,206 $1,206

$1,815 $1,815

-33.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-52.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.29 $47.29

$66.2 $66.2

-28.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.60 $38.60

$51.4 $51.4

-24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 $90.0

$103 $103

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$143 $143

-19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 $1,556

$2,531 $2,531

-38.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 $1,293

$1,621 $1,621

-20.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$4,828 $4,828

-46.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 $2,108

$2,734 $2,734

-22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,808 $2,808

$4,163 $4,163

-32.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,679 $2,679

$2,723 $2,723

-1.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,001 $3,001

$4,924 $4,924

-39.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.78

-2.80%

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

Last update for Howell Township, NJ: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Howell Township, NJ

$1.3K 48.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 25.3% $328

Groceries & Markets

Howell Township, NJ

$404 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 8.6% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Howell Township, NJ

$383 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 15.5% $60

Eating Out

Howell Township, NJ

$322 12%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 6.8% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Howell Township, NJ

$131 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 25.1% $33

Getting Around

Howell Township, NJ

$78 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 23.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Howell Township, NJ

$69 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 21.8% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Howell Township, NJ versus $2,531 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 64% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Howell Township, NJ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $439 – making Howell Township, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Howell Township, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:42 11:42 AM

10:42 10:42 AM

1 h behind Howell Township, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Howell Township, NJ Chicago, IL 310 km

From you

Howell Township, NJ
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,681 in Howell Township, NJ, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Howell Township, NJ comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,022 per month in Howell Township, NJ and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Howell Township, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,556 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Howell Township, NJ and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,681 in Howell Township, NJ and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Howell Township, NJ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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