Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Trenton, NJ: $2,571 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Trenton, NJ
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Trenton, NJ Living Index
152

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

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Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,571 per month in Trenton, NJ vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Trenton, NJ $2,571
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,157 per month in Trenton, NJ vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Trenton, NJ $4,157
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,742 per month in Trenton, NJ vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Trenton, NJ $5,742
Chicago, IL $6,115

Trenton, NJ is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Trenton, NJ and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Trenton, NJ by 90%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 $18.04

$20.65 $20.65

-12.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 $64.2

$90.2 $90.2

-28.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$12.94 $12.94

-8.73%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.60 $5.60

-11.79%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.27 $2.27

-5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$6.98 $6.98

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.83 $8.83

-11.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.27 $1.27

-5.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.80 $3.80

2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$5.30 $5.30

-66.23%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$4.76 $4.76

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

$13.96 $13.96

-12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$14.61 $14.61

-30.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$18.77 $18.77

-40.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.19 $5.19

-19.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.98 $1.98

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.93 $3.93

-14.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.96 $4.96

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.76 $2.76

-26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.76 $2.76

18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.22 $2.22

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.98 $2.98

-32.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.02 $14.02

5.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$15.28 $15.28

-48.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.58 $2.58

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.50 $3.50

-5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.47 $2.47

-25.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 $56.6

$74.8 $74.8

-24.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.34 $3.34

-8.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.43 $1.43

49.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.04 $42.04

$24.32 $24.32

72.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.37%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.81%

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

$140 $140

$193 $193

-27.20%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$68.3 $68.3

-10.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$61.3 $61.3

-0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.03 $30.03

$54.1 $54.1

-44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$17.74 $17.74

-31.12%

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

$2,653 $2,653

$1,652 $1,652

60.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K $34.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

11.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 $62.0

$66.1 $66.1

-6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$51.2 $51.2

-1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$100 $100

-11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$141 $141

-14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,736 $1,736

$2,446 $2,446

-29.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$1,678 $1,678

-17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,395 $2,395

$4,717 $4,717

-49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,085 $3,085

$2,795 $2,795

10.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,108 $3,108

$4,105 $4,105

-24.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,107 $3,107

$2,650 $2,650

17.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,376 $3,376

$4,866 $4,866

-30.62%

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 Trenton, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Trenton, NJ

$1.4K 53.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 21.9% $301

Groceries & Markets

Trenton, NJ

$348 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 29.2% $102

Eating Out

Trenton, NJ

$308 12%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 11.7% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Trenton, NJ

$263 10.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 22.8% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Trenton, NJ

$145 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 11.3% $16

Getting Around

Trenton, NJ

$78 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 22.3% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Trenton, NJ

$54 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 64.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,736 in Trenton, NJ versus $2,446 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 44% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $64.0 in Trenton, NJ versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $449 – making Trenton, NJ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

05:51 5:51 AM

1 h behind Trenton, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,923

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Trenton, NJ Chicago, IL 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Trenton, NJ
Chicago, IL

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,571 in Trenton, NJ, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,857 per month in Trenton, NJ and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trenton, NJ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Chicago, IL, 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 $64.0 in Trenton, NJ and $90.0 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 $2,571 in Trenton, NJ and $3,139 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 $2,571 in Trenton, NJ to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Trenton, NJ. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.