Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ramsey, NJ: $2,676 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Ramsey, NJ
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Ramsey, NJ Living Index
147

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

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Ramsey, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,676

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,676 per month in Ramsey, NJ vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ramsey, NJ $2,676
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,957 per month in Ramsey, NJ vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ramsey, NJ $3,957
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,238 per month in Ramsey, NJ vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ramsey, NJ $5,238
Chicago, IL $5,999

Ramsey, NJ is about 12% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Ramsey, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Ramsey, NJ by 97%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$20.71 $20.71

-2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 $103

$89.2 $89.2

15.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.19 $13.19

-7.28%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.66 $5.66

-0.53%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$2.64 $2.64

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.28 $2.28

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$6.87 $6.87

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$8.84 $8.84

-1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.25 $1.25

-5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.72 $3.72

-2.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.27 $7.27

$5.39 $5.39

34.88%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$4.74 $4.74

-37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$13.84 $13.84

12.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.85 $16.85

$14.40 $14.40

17.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$18.38 $18.38

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.22 $5.22

-5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.98 $1.98

10.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$4.06 $4.06

31.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$4.97 $4.97

21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.67 $2.67

51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.66 $2.66

81.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.24 $2.24

12.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.13 $3.13

-22.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.82 $13.82

-11.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.88 $14.88

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.54 $2.54

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.51 $3.51

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.43 $2.43

-11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 $68.1

$73.5 $73.5

-7.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.18 $3.18

-5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.39 $1.39

57.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.53 $41.53

$25.03 $25.03

65.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.20 $1.20

-7.50%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.00%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.17%

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

$121 $121

$194 $194

-37.75%

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

$60.6 $60.6

$69.5 $69.5

-12.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$61.6 $61.6

-3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 $40.38

$47.90 $47.90

-15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 $15.96

$17.81 $17.81

-10.39%

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

$3,073 $3,073

$1,794 $1,794

71.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K $34.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

8.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 $20.18

$67.0 $67.0

-69.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 $75.2

$52.1 $52.1

44.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.39 $30.39

$102 $102

-70.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$144 $144

-29.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,311 $3,311

$2,526 $2,526

31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$1,578 $1,578

-14.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 $2,722

$4,738 $4,738

-42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 $2,103

$2,693 $2,693

-21.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,651 $2,651

$4,190 $4,190

-36.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,370 $2,370

$2,768 $2,768

-14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.81

-2.06%

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

Last update for Ramsey, NJ: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ramsey, NJ

$1.4K 50.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 16.4% $222

Groceries & Markets

Ramsey, NJ

$469 17.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4.7% $22

Eating Out

Ramsey, NJ

$344 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 0.1% $0.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ramsey, NJ

$241 9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 35% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Ramsey, NJ

$102 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 60.3% $62

Getting Around

Ramsey, NJ

$91 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 3.1% $2.8

Sport & Entertainment

Ramsey, NJ

$72 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 15.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,311 in Ramsey, NJ versus $2,526 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 $103 in Ramsey, NJ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $469 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ramsey, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:26 5:26 PM

16:26 4:26 PM

1 h behind Ramsey, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,646

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

From you

Ramsey, NJ
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,676 in Ramsey, NJ, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Ramsey, NJ comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,013 per month in Ramsey, NJ and $4,555 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,311 in Ramsey, NJ.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Ramsey, NJ and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,676 in Ramsey, NJ and $3,037 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 $2,676 in Ramsey, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.