Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anaheim, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,570 in Anaheim, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Anaheim, CA
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Anaheim, CA Living Index
146

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

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Anaheim, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,570

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,570 per month in Anaheim, CA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Anaheim, CA $3,570
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,968 per month in Anaheim, CA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Anaheim, CA $4,968
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $6,365 per month in Anaheim, CA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Anaheim, CA $6,365
Chicago, IL $6,019

Anaheim, CA costs about 16% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Anaheim, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Anaheim, CA by 164%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.63 $24.63

$20.39 $20.39

20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$88.6 $88.6

-13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.81 $16.81

$12.85 $12.85

30.82%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$5.78 $5.78

-0.87%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$2.74 $2.74

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.26 $2.26

7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 $7.19

$6.88 $6.88

4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.72 $9.72

$9.24 $9.24

5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.26 $1.26

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.55 $3.55

33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$5.38 $5.38

-9.11%

Eggs

$5.86 $5.86

$4.55 $4.55

28.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.39 $15.39

$13.65 $13.65

12.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.43 $18.43

$14.07 $14.07

30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$18.06 $18.06

8.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.16 $5.16

-1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.98 $1.98

21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.88 $3.88

1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$4.83 $4.83

13.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.81 $2.81

33.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.67 $2.67

-16.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.07 $2.07

5.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.03 $3.03

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.67 $11.67

$13.90 $13.90

-16.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.63 $2.63

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.45 $3.45

22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.43 $2.43

-16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 $67.7

$75.3 $75.3

-10.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.17 $3.17

-4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.70 $1.70

10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.62 $36.62

$24.90 $24.90

47.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.28 $1.28

19.53%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-20.48%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

0.99%

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

$165 $165

$192 $192

-14.16%

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

$67.3 $67.3

$69.6 $69.6

-3.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$62.2 $62.2

17.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 $78.8

$47.79 $47.79

64.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 $10.19

$27.10 $27.10

-62.40%

Cinema Ticket

$18.30 $18.30

$17.83 $17.83

2.64%

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

$1,170 $1,170

$1,815 $1,815

-35.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K $21.7K

$40.6K $40.6K

-46.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$66.2 $66.2

-13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 $47.26

$51.4 $51.4

-8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 $103

0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$143 $143

2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$2,531 $2,531

-11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 $2,030

$1,621 $1,621

25.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,763 $2,763

$4,828 $4,828

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,930 $2,930

$2,734 $2,734

7.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,580 $7,580

$4,163 $4,163

82.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,026 $6,026

$2,723 $2,723

121.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,155 $4,155

$4,924 $4,924

-15.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.78

-6.93%

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

Last update for Anaheim, CA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Anaheim, CA

$2K 56.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 20.1% $409

Groceries & Markets

Anaheim, CA

$479 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 8.3% $40

Eating Out

Anaheim, CA

$393 11%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 12.6% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anaheim, CA

$305 8.5%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 6.1% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Anaheim, CA

$160 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 2.5% $4

Sport & Entertainment

Anaheim, CA

$115 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 27.7% $32

Getting Around

Anaheim, CA

$88 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 9.5% $8.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,240 in Anaheim, CA versus $2,531 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 19% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in Anaheim, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $479 in Anaheim, CA vs $439 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anaheim, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:32 7:32 AM

09:32 9:32 AM

2 h ahead of Anaheim, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,742

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Anaheim, CA Chicago, IL 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Anaheim, CA
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Anaheim, CA costs about 16% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,356 per month in Anaheim, CA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Anaheim, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,240 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Anaheim, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in Anaheim, CA and $89 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 $3,570 in Anaheim, CA and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,072 versus $3,570 in Anaheim, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.