City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chicago | New Brunswick | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,754/mo | 25.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $289,800 | 5.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $57,138 | 25.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 100.1 | 4.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 108.4 | 20.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 97.3 | 2.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 100.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chicago, you'd need $111,612 in New Brunswick to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 10.4% cheaper overall than New Brunswick, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 20% lower in Chicago than in New Brunswick. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $89,289 in New Brunswick to keep the same standard of living.