Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Middlesex, NJ: $2,503 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Middlesex, NJ
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Middlesex, NJ Living Index
152

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

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Middlesex, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,503

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,503 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $2,503
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $3,714
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,925 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $4,925
Chicago, IL $6,115

Middlesex, NJ is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Middlesex, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Middlesex, NJ by 85%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 $20.29

$20.65 $20.65

-1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$90.2 $90.2

-16.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.93 $12.93

$12.94 $12.94

-0.08%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.60 $5.60

-8.39%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$2.64 $2.64

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.27 $2.27

11.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$6.98 $6.98

-14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.80 $3.80

18.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.30 $5.30

-17.92%

Eggs

$6.25 $6.25

$4.76 $4.76

31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 $10.72

$13.96 $13.96

-23.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$14.61 $14.61

-26.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.23 $19.23

$18.77 $18.77

2.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$5.19 $5.19

5.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.93 $3.93

-15.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.96 $4.96

-38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.76 $2.76

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.76 $2.76

-11.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.22 $2.22

18.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.98 $2.98

-1.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.02 $14.02

-1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.34 $17.34

$15.28 $15.28

13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.58 $2.58

-28.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.50 $3.50

-18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.47 $2.47

-16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.34 $3.34

76.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.43 $1.43

4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.41 $32.41

$24.32 $24.32

33.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.26 $1.26

-23.81%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.97%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.32%

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

$178 $178

$193 $193

-7.63%

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

$37.23 $37.23

$68.3 $68.3

-45.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 $58.7

$61.3 $61.3

-4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 $36.45

$54.1 $54.1

-32.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 $12.25

$17.74 $17.74

-30.95%

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

$2,102 $2,102

$1,652 $1,652

27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

-14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.27 $38.27

$66.1 $66.1

-42.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.54 $16.54

$51.2 $51.2

-67.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$100 $100

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$141 $141

-11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,593 $2,593

$2,446 $2,446

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 $1,275

$1,678 $1,678

-24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 $2,549

$4,717 $4,717

-45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$2,795 $2,795

-22.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,368 $2,368

$4,105 $4,105

-42.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,342 $2,342

$2,650 $2,650

-11.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Middlesex, NJ: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Middlesex, NJ

$1.3K 50.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 31.6% $403

Groceries & Markets

Middlesex, NJ

$414 16.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 8.4% $35

Eating Out

Middlesex, NJ

$332 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 3.6% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Middlesex, NJ

$274 11%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 17.6% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Middlesex, NJ

$126 5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 28.3% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Middlesex, NJ

$61 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 47% $29

Getting Around

Middlesex, NJ

$22 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 340% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,593 in Middlesex, NJ versus $2,446 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Middlesex, NJ versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $449 – making Middlesex, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Middlesex, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:07 11:07 PM

22:07 10:07 PM

1 h behind Middlesex, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,746

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Middlesex, NJ Chicago, IL 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Middlesex, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,503 in Middlesex, NJ, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,754 per month in Middlesex, NJ and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Middlesex, NJ and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,503 in Middlesex, NJ and $3,139 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 $2,503 in Middlesex, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Middlesex, 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.