Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Agoura Hills, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Agoura Hills, CA: $2,874 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

138

Cost of Living Index in Agoura Hills, CA
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Agoura Hills, CA Living Index
152

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

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Agoura Hills, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,874

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,874 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Agoura Hills, CA $2,874
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,272 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Agoura Hills, CA $4,272
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,670 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Agoura Hills, CA $5,670
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Agoura Hills, CA costs roughly 8% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Agoura Hills, CA 112% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.06 $25.06

$20.65 $20.65

21.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$90.2 $90.2

10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$12.94 $12.94

-10.66%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$5.60 $5.60

-0.54%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.64 $2.64

7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.27 $2.27

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.98 $6.98

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.80 $9.80

$8.83 $8.83

10.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.27 $1.27

-7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.80 $3.80

47.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.30 $5.30

-18.68%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$4.76 $4.76

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 $12.48

$13.96 $13.96

-10.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.74 $20.74

$14.61 $14.61

41.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$18.77 $18.77

-24.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$5.19 $5.19

5.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.93 $3.93

4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$4.96 $4.96

35.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.76 $2.76

27.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.76 $2.76

27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.22 $2.22

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.98 $2.98

-23.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$14.02 $14.02

-15.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$15.28 $15.28

-3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.58 $2.58

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.50 $3.50

-7.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.47 $2.47

-17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 $79.0

$74.8 $74.8

5.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.34 $3.34

33.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.43 $1.43

33.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.60 $35.60

$24.32 $24.32

46.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.26 $1.26

20.63%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.96%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.94%

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

$212 $212

$193 $193

9.96%

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

$70.3 $70.3

$68.3 $68.3

3.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$61.3 $61.3

12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.60 $49.60

$54.1 $54.1

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 $12.24

$17.74 $17.74

-31.00%

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

$1,922 $1,922

$1,652 $1,652

16.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.6K $43.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

40.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 $73.2

$66.1 $66.1

10.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 $40.56

$51.2 $51.2

-20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$100 $100

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 $171

$141 $141

21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 $1,571

$2,446 $2,446

-35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 $1,325

$1,678 $1,678

-21.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 $2,505

$4,717 $4,717

-46.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 $2,155

$2,795 $2,795

-22.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,698 $2,698

$4,105 $4,105

-34.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,350 $2,350

$2,650 $2,650

-11.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,648 $4,648

$4,866 $4,866

-4.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Agoura Hills, CA: 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

Agoura Hills, CA

$1.3K 46.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 26.6% $353

Groceries & Markets

Agoura Hills, CA

$476 16.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 5.6% $27

Eating Out

Agoura Hills, CA

$382 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 10% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Agoura Hills, CA

$351 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 8.2% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Agoura Hills, CA

$165 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 2.1% $3.5

Getting Around

Agoura Hills, CA

$101 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 6% $6

Sport & Entertainment

Agoura Hills, CA

$74 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 21% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,571 in Agoura Hills, CA and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Agoura Hills, CA vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 vs $449 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Agoura Hills, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:51 12:51 AM

02:51 2:51 AM

2 h ahead of Agoura Hills, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,666

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

Agoura Hills, CA Chicago, IL 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Agoura Hills, CA
Chicago, IL

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Agoura Hills, CA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agoura Hills, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Agoura Hills, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Chicago, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,571 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,922 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $1,652 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Agoura Hills, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Agoura Hills, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,874 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Agoura Hills, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Agoura Hills, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.