Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Newark, NJ and in Chicago, IL: $3,069 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

149

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

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

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Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,069 per month in Newark, NJ vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Newark, NJ $3,069
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,584 per month in Newark, NJ vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Newark, NJ $4,584
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,098 per month in Newark, NJ vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Newark, NJ $6,098
Chicago, IL $6,115

Newark, NJ is about 2% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Newark, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Newark, NJ by 127%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.65 $20.65

-2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$90.2 $90.2

9.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 $14.21

$12.94 $12.94

9.81%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$5.60 $5.60

13.57%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$2.64 $2.64

41.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.27 $2.27

8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$6.98 $6.98

14.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.83 $8.83

12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.27 $1.27

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.80 $3.80

18.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$5.30 $5.30

42.08%

Eggs

$5.90 $5.90

$4.76 $4.76

23.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$13.96 $13.96

-48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$14.61 $14.61

18.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$18.77 $18.77

1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.19 $5.19

30.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.98 $1.98

16.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$3.93 $3.93

62.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$4.96 $4.96

34.48%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.76 $2.76

45.65%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.76 $2.76

58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.22 $2.22

24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.98 $2.98

-11.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$14.02 $14.02

-15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 $19.62

$15.28 $15.28

28.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.58 $2.58

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.50 $3.50

-22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.47 $2.47

148.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$74.8 $74.8

-26.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.34 $3.34

-9.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.43 $1.43

51.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.49 $42.49

$24.32 $24.32

74.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.26 $1.26

-17.46%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.95%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.50%

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

$213 $213

$193 $193

10.34%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$68.3 $68.3

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$61.3 $61.3

15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$54.1 $54.1

-45.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 $17.80

$27.92 $27.92

-36.25%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$17.74 $17.74

-17.02%

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

$2,129 $2,129

$1,652 $1,652

28.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.3K $61.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

97.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$66.1 $66.1

-8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$51.2 $51.2

-46.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$100 $100

20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$141 $141

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$2,446 $2,446

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$1,678 $1,678

-8.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$4,717 $4,717

-8.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$2,795 $2,795

-6.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 $5,702

$4,105 $4,105

38.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,577 $5,577

$2,650 $2,650

110.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,568 $3,568

$4,866 $4,866

-26.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.81

-1.91%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 9.3% $142

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 10.5% $53

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 6% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 10.1% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 3.3% $5.2

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$93 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 2.2% $2.1

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 52% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,577 in Newark, 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.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Newark, NJ versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $502 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

23:35 11:35 PM

1 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

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

Newark, NJ Chicago, IL 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Newark, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,069 in Newark, NJ, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,604 per month in Newark, 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 Newark, NJ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Newark, NJ and $90.0 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 $3,069 in Newark, 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 $3,069 in Newark, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Newark, 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.