Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,865 in Somerset, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Somerset, NJ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

189

Cost of Living Index in Somerset, NJ
Learn more

Somerset, NJ Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Somerset, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,865

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,865 per month in Somerset, NJ vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Somerset, NJ $3,865
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,297 per month in Somerset, NJ vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Somerset, NJ $4,297
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,728 per month in Somerset, NJ vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Somerset, NJ $4,728
Chicago, IL $6,077

Somerset, NJ costs about 21% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Somerset, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Somerset, NJ by 186%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 $18.26

$21.58 $21.58

-15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.28 $39.28

$88.7 $88.7

-55.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 $8.16

$13.20 $13.20

-38.18%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$5.59 $5.59

-12.52%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$2.63 $2.63

-25.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.26 $2.26

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.84 $7.84

$7.11 $7.11

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$9.23 $9.23

-22.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.28 $1.28

3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.84 $3.84

14.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$5.07 $5.07

20.71%

Eggs

$2.02 $2.02

$4.84 $4.84

-58.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$14.17 $14.17

-6.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$14.61 $14.61

-30.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.45 $19.45

$18.76 $18.76

3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.19 $5.19

16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.00 $2.00

74.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.00 $4.00

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.98 $4.98

9.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.79 $2.79

8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.65 $2.65

14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.13 $2.13

14.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.09 $3.09

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.39 $17.39

$16.05 $16.05

8.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$15.20 $15.20

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.62 $2.62

-32.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.46 $3.46

1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.47 $2.47

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.21 $3.21

-8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.39 $1.39

60.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.34 $41.34

$25.02 $25.02

65.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.24 $1.24

-11.29%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$37.2K $37.2K

-3.22%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

-2.09%

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

$173 $173

$192 $192

-9.99%

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

$50.0 $50.0

$67.8 $67.8

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.14 $49.14

$60.9 $60.9

-19.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 $40.91

$53.6 $53.6

-23.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$20.32 $20.32

$17.80 $17.80

14.16%

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

$2,016 $2,016

$1,554 $1,554

29.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$31.4K $31.4K

-48.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$67.9 $67.9

-26.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.93 $40.93

$50.8 $50.8

-19.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$101 $101

-15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$143 $143

-27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$2,383 $2,383

-32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$1,712 $1,712

53.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 $2,527

$4,674 $4,674

-45.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 $2,114

$2,738 $2,738

-22.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,767 $2,767

$4,158 $4,158

-33.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,399 $2,399

$2,691 $2,691

-10.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.77

0.44%

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

Last update for Somerset, NJ: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Somerset, NJ

$2.6K 67.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 34.8% $914

Groceries & Markets

Somerset, NJ

$441 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 2.2% $9.8

Eating Out

Somerset, NJ

$296 7.7%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 19.1% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Somerset, NJ

$272 7%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 17.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Somerset, NJ

$126 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 29.7% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Somerset, NJ

$82 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 9.3% $7.6

Getting Around

Somerset, NJ

$22 * 0.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 335% $73

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Somerset, NJ versus $2,383 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 $39.00 in Somerset, NJ versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $441 vs $451 – making Somerset, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Somerset, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:50 2:50 AM

01:50 1:50 AM

1 h behind Somerset, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,924

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Somerset, NJ Chicago, IL 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Somerset, 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

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

Somerset, NJ costs about 21% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,798 per month in Somerset, NJ and $4,777 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Somerset, NJ and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Somerset, NJ – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,865 in Somerset, NJ and $3,185 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,865 in Somerset, 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, Somerset, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.