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

🙂 Solo nomad: Ridgewood, NJ is 19.2% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 11.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Ridgewood, NJ is 8.4% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 16.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$20.82 $20.82

-14.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 $77.9

$100 $100

-22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.6 $12.6

$11.97 $11.97

5.26%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.56 $5.56

-6.12%

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

$2.7 $2.7

$3.11 $3.11

-13.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.42 $2.42

-19.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.49 $6.49

$6.86 $6.86

-5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 $6.58

$8.45 $8.45

-22.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.04 $1.04

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.3 $4.3

$4.15 $4.15

3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$5.52 $5.52

-20.65%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$4.65 $4.65

-23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.72 $13.72

$14.33 $14.33

-4.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$14.88 $14.88

-52.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$19.34 $19.34

-42.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.17 $5.17

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.71 $1.71

-9.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.41 $4.41

-16.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$4.51 $4.51

21.06%

Potato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.53 $2.53

88.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.74 $2.74

64.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.43 $2.43

8.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.7 $2.7

-15.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 $11.29

$15.19 $15.19

-25.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$16.42 $16.42

-7.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.35 $2.35

7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.7 $3.7

-6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.53 $2.53

-22.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.45 $40.45

$74.1 $74.1

-45.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.34 $3.34

-11.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.42 $1.42

-11.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.63 $42.63

$25.42 $25.42

67.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.08 $1.08

-15.74%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$32.4K $32.4K

-21.36%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

-7.87%

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

$163 $163

$188 $188

-13.62%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$63.7 $63.7

-6.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$65.2 $65.2

4.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 $58.5

$76.7 $76.7

-23.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.21 $40.21

$13.03 $13.03

208.60%

Cinema Ticket

$18.63 $18.63

$14.93 $14.93

24.78%

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

$1,893 $1,893

$2,063 $2,063

-8.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K $14.3K

$39.2K $39.2K

-63.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$64.3 $64.3

-6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$52.4 $52.4

4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 $84.1

$95.2 $95.2

-11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$145 $145

-21.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$2,378 $2,378

-32.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 $1,366

$1,584 $1,584

-13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,317 $4,317

$4,763 $4,763

-9.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$2,815 $2,815

-20.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,477 $2,477

$3,588 $3,588

-30.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,675 $2,675

$2,490 $2,490

7.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,029 $5,029

$5,275 $5,275

-4.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.6

-1.36%

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

Last update for Ridgewood, NJ: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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