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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,828 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $3,106 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,200 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $4,599 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,572 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $6,092 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Agoura Hills, CA costs roughly 9% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Agoura Hills, CA 106% above, Chicago, IL 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 $25.44

$19.86 $19.86

28.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$88.3 $88.3

13.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 $11.51

$13.23 $13.23

-13.00%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.86 $5.86

-5.63%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.61 $2.61

6.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.32 $2.32

-11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.03 $7.03

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 $8.61

$9.25 $9.25

-6.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.34 $1.34

-10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.19 $4.19

39.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$5.50 $5.50

-21.45%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$4.71 $4.71

8.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$14.72 $14.72

-16.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.52 $20.52

$14.53 $14.53

41.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$19.69 $19.69

-27.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.64 $5.64

-4.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.97 $1.97

-10.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$4.04 $4.04

5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$5.07 $5.07

32.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.94 $2.94

25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.92 $2.92

20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.28 $2.28

4.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.12 $3.12

-26.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.58 $11.58

$16.19 $16.19

-28.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.17 $15.17

0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.67 $2.67

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.48 $3.48

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.54 $2.54

-20.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 $79.0

$76.0 $76.0

4.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.16 $3.16

43.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.37 $1.37

38.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.66 $36.66

$22.66 $22.66

61.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.20 $1.20

21.67%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$37.0K $37.0K

-21.30%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.17%

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

$217 $217

$190 $190

14.52%

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

$69.9 $69.9

$68.5 $68.5

2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$61.1 $61.1

13.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.76 $49.76

$63.8 $63.8

-21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$18.28 $18.28

-33.37%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$1,525 $1,525

29.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K $42.4K

$32.0K $32.0K

32.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.8 $72.8

$64.0 $64.0

13.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 $40.88

$54.4 $54.4

-24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$101 $101

-21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$153 $153

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 $1,618

$2,421 $2,421

-33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$1,690 $1,690

-24.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$4,584 $4,584

-44.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 $2,162

$2,782 $2,782

-22.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,760 $2,760

$4,170 $4,170

-33.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,404 $2,404

$2,739 $2,739

-12.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,737 $4,737

$4,777 $4,777

-0.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

6.38

-4.70%

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

Last update for Agoura Hills, CA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,618 in Agoura Hills, CA and $2,421 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 1% 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 $88.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $465 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

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

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

Agoura Hills, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 10% 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 1% 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: $1,618 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $2,421 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,980 in Agoura Hills, CA versus $1,525 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 3% 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 $2,828 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 10% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.