Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,169 a month against $3,727 in Princeton, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

180

Cost of Living Index in Princeton, NJ
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Princeton, NJ Living Index
153

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

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Princeton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,727

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,727 per month in Princeton, NJ vs $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Princeton, NJ $3,727
Chicago, IL $3,169

A couple spends around $5,466 per month in Princeton, NJ vs $4,682 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Princeton, NJ $5,466
Chicago, IL $4,682

A family of three spends $7,206 per month in Princeton, NJ vs $6,196 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Princeton, NJ $7,206
Chicago, IL $6,196

Princeton, NJ costs about 18% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Princeton, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Princeton, NJ by 178%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 $20.25

$21.62 $21.62

-6.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$91.2 $91.2

-18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.17 $15.17

$13.09 $13.09

15.89%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$5.78 $5.78

-10.55%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.64 $2.64

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.28 $2.28

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$6.94 $6.94

16.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.46 $8.46

$8.93 $8.93

-5.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.94 $3.94

-5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.45 $7.45

$4.96 $4.96

50.20%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.64 $4.64

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.09 $25.09

$13.97 $13.97

79.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.17 $22.17

$14.37 $14.37

54.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.29 $19.29

$18.59 $18.59

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$5.37 $5.37

21.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.93 $1.93

-24.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.01 $4.01

47.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$4.94 $4.94

2.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.80 $2.80

-3.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.76 $2.76

14.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.16 $2.16

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.12 $3.12

-6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.46 $11.46

$15.71 $15.71

-27.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.31 $25.31

$15.23 $15.23

66.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.57 $2.57

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 $7.99

$3.48 $3.48

129.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.48 $2.48

-10.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$202 $202

$74.4 $74.4

172.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.23 $3.23

81.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.43 $1.43

67.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.09 $42.09

$24.33 $24.33

73.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.25 $1.25

-24.80%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

3.70%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.16%

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

$217 $217

$195 $195

11.76%

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

$55.7 $55.7

$69.0 $69.0

-19.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 $56.4

$62.1 $62.1

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$174 $174

$54.5 $54.5

219.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.19 $45.19

$27.80 $27.80

62.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 $15.04

$17.84 $17.84

-15.70%

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

$1,991 $1,991

$1,513 $1,513

31.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

28.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.55 $38.55

$68.1 $68.1

-43.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 $55.8

$51.6 $51.6

7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 $81.6

$101 $101

-19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$141 $141

-16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,936 $2,936

$2,437 $2,437

20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,662 $1,662

16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,989 $4,989

$4,644 $4,644

7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,330 $3,330

$2,751 $2,751

21.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,535 $5,535

$4,036 $4,036

37.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,496 $3,496

$2,677 $2,677

30.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,303 $6,303

$4,861 $4,861

29.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

6.77

-7.24%

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

Last update for Princeton, NJ: October 6, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Princeton, NJ

$1.9K 51.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53% 13.9% $269

Groceries & Markets

Princeton, NJ

$565 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3% 20.4% $115

Eating Out

Princeton, NJ

$347 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3% 2% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Princeton, NJ

$329 8.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4% 1.2% $3.8

Getting Around

Princeton, NJ

$229 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 58.7% $134

Sport & Entertainment

Princeton, NJ

$204 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 55.8% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Princeton, NJ

$132 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2% 23.3% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,936 in Princeton, NJ versus $2,437 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 30% higher in Princeton, NJ, 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 $74.0 in Princeton, NJ versus $91.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $565 in Princeton, NJ vs $450 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Princeton, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:34 8:34 PM

19:34 7:34 PM

1 h behind Princeton, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,603

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Princeton, NJ Chicago, IL 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Princeton, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,727 in Princeton, NJ, $3,169 in Chicago, IL – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,590 per month in Princeton, NJ and $4,753 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Princeton, NJ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Princeton, NJ and $91.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,727 in Princeton, NJ and $3,169 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 $3,169 in Chicago, IL to $3,727 in Princeton, NJ. 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Princeton, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.