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 | Toms River | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,592/mo | 17.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $356,100 | 14.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $92,012 | 22.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 97.8 | 0.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 95.1 | 2.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 89.8 | 9.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 95.6 | 1.8% higher in A |
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 $107,514 in Toms River to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 7% cheaper overall than Toms River, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 17% lower in Chicago than in Toms River. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $86,011 in Toms River to keep the same standard of living.