Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toms River, NJ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Toms River, NJ: $2,884 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Toms River, NJ
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Toms River, NJ Living Index
147

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

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Toms River, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,884

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,884 per month in Toms River, NJ vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toms River, NJ $2,884
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,311 per month in Toms River, NJ vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toms River, NJ $4,311
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,738 per month in Toms River, NJ vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toms River, NJ $5,738
Chicago, IL $5,999

Toms River, NJ is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Toms River, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Toms River, NJ by 112%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$20.71 $20.71

-4.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$89.2 $89.2

-16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$13.19 $13.19

-8.64%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.66 $5.66

-2.30%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$2.64 $2.64

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.28 $2.28

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$6.87 $6.87

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$8.84 $8.84

-22.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.25 $1.25

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.72 $3.72

23.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$5.39 $5.39

-55.10%

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

$4.74 $4.74

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.29 $16.29

$13.84 $13.84

17.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$14.40 $14.40

17.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 $16.81

$18.38 $18.38

-8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$5.22 $5.22

14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.98 $1.98

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.06 $4.06

26.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$4.97 $4.97

19.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.67 $2.67

-40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.66 $2.66

3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.24 $2.24

12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.13 $3.13

-38.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$13.82 $13.82

-28.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 $10.09

$14.88 $14.88

-32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.54 $2.54

10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.51 $3.51

-2.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.18 $3.18

-5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.39 $1.39

53.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.41 $41.41

$25.03 $25.03

65.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.20%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.74%

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

$243 $243

$194 $194

24.75%

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

$37.24 $37.24

$69.5 $69.5

-46.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 $62.0

$61.6 $61.6

0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.15 $30.15

$47.90 $47.90

-37.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 $17.15

$17.81 $17.81

-3.71%

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

$3,103 $3,103

$1,794 $1,794

72.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K $34.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

7.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$67.0 $67.0

4.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.8 $75.8

$52.1 $52.1

45.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$102 $102

18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-15.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$2,526 $2,526

-35.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 $1,527

$1,578 $1,578

-3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,900 $2,900

$4,738 $4,738

-38.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 $2,766

$2,693 $2,693

2.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,268 $5,268

$4,931 $4,931

6.84%

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 Toms River, NJ: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Toms River, NJ

$1.5K 53%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 3.4% $51

Groceries & Markets

Toms River, NJ

$445 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 0.5% $2.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toms River, NJ

$342 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4.7% $16

Eating Out

Toms River, NJ

$318 11%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 8.4% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Toms River, NJ

$174 6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 5.9% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Toms River, NJ

$64 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 29.6% $19

Getting Around

Toms River, NJ

$14 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 586% $80

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Toms River, 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.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Toms River, NJ, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Toms River, NJ versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $447 – making Toms River, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Toms River, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:17 6:17 PM

17:17 5:17 PM

1 h behind Toms River, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

95,438

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Toms River, NJ Chicago, IL 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Toms River, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,884 in Toms River, NJ, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Toms River, NJ comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,326 per month in Toms River, 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 Toms River, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,617 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $3,103 per month in Toms River, NJ and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,884 in Toms River, NJ and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Toms River, NJ about 5% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,884 in Toms River, 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 $2,884 in Toms River, NJ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.