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

🙂 Solo nomad: Montclair, NJ is 2.1% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 5.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Montclair, NJ is 17.5% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 7.7% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.47 $17.47

$20.82 $20.82

-16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.8 $99.8

$100 $100

-0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$11.97 $11.97

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$5.56 $5.56

5.04%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$3.11 $3.11

-3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.6 $1.6

$2.42 $2.42

-33.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.86 $6.86

14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.19 $12.19

$8.45 $8.45

44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.15 $4.15

3.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.6 $5.6

$5.52 $5.52

1.45%

Eggs

$6.75 $6.75

$4.65 $4.65

45.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14 $14

$14.33 $14.33

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$14.88 $14.88

-31.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 $20.15

$19.34 $19.34

4.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$5.17 $5.17

9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.71 $1.71

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.41 $4.41

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.51 $4.51

-8.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.53 $2.53

21.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.74 $2.74

-6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.43 $2.43

12.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.7 $2.7

-5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 $17.75

$15.19 $15.19

16.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$16.42 $16.42

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.35 $2.35

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.7 $3.7

4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.53 $2.53

-19.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.34 $3.34

-8.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.42 $1.42

55.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.83 $42.83

$25.42 $25.42

68.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.9 $0.9

$1.08 $1.08

-16.67%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$32.4K $32.4K

-27.21%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

-3.49%

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

$181 $181

$188 $188

-4.00%

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

$54 $54

$63.7 $63.7

-15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$65.2 $65.2

-6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 $42.48

$76.7 $76.7

-44.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$20.17 $20.17

$14.93 $14.93

35.10%

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

$1,740 $1,740

$2,063 $2,063

-15.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$39.2K $39.2K

-59.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67 $67

$64.3 $64.3

4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.63 $48.63

$52.4 $52.4

-7.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 $98.6

$95.2 $95.2

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$145 $145

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,265 $2,265

$2,378 $2,378

-4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 $1,529

$1,584 $1,584

-3.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,798 $3,798

$4,763 $4,763

-20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 $2,732

$2,815 $2,815

-2.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 $3,045

$3,588 $3,588

-15.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 $2,287

$2,490 $2,490

-8.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,275 $5,275

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.6

-2.42%

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

Last update for Montclair, NJ: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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