Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Antioch, CA: $2,646 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Antioch, CA
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Antioch, CA Living Index
152

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

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Antioch, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,646

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,646 in Antioch, CA versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Antioch, CA $2,646
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,884 in Antioch, CA versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Antioch, CA $3,884
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,122 in Antioch, CA versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Antioch, CA $5,122
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Antioch, CA costs roughly 16% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Antioch, CA 95% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.98 $20.98

$20.65 $20.65

1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$90.2 $90.2

-1.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.53 $12.53

$12.94 $12.94

-3.17%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$5.60 $5.60

-5.71%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.64 $2.64

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.27 $2.27

33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 $7.92

$6.98 $6.98

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$8.83 $8.83

-9.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.27 $1.27

-2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.80 $3.80

6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.30 $5.30

-16.42%

Eggs

$5.68 $5.68

$4.76 $4.76

19.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$13.96 $13.96

9.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$14.61 $14.61

2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.62 $18.62

$18.77 $18.77

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$5.19 $5.19

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.98 $1.98

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.93 $3.93

-16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.96 $4.96

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.76 $2.76

-35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.76 $2.76

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.22 $2.22

13.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.98 $2.98

-33.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 $7.78

$14.02 $14.02

-44.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 $13.81

$15.28 $15.28

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.58 $2.58

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.50 $3.50

-44.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.47 $2.47

-21.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.34 $3.34

21.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.43 $1.43

34.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.35 $25.35

$24.32 $24.32

4.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.26 $1.26

17.46%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-18.44%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.22%

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

$231 $231

$193 $193

19.85%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$68.3 $68.3

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.3 $61.3

12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.81 $43.81

$54.1 $54.1

-19.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 $13.03

$17.74 $17.74

-26.55%

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

$1,544 $1,544

$1,652 $1,652

-6.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,926 $4,926

$31.1K $31.1K

-84.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.26 $25.26

$66.1 $66.1

-61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.68 $21.68

$51.2 $51.2

-57.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 $94.5

$100 $100

-5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$141 $141

-43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 $1,598

$2,446 $2,446

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 $1,309

$1,678 $1,678

-21.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$4,717 $4,717

-46.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,142 $2,142

$2,795 $2,795

-23.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 $2,652

$4,105 $4,105

-35.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,371 $2,371

$2,650 $2,650

-10.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,523 $4,523

$4,866 $4,866

-7.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

6.81

-19.24%

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

Last update for Antioch, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Antioch, CA

$1.3K 49.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 28.1% $368

Groceries & Markets

Antioch, CA

$439 16.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 2.4% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Antioch, CA

$359 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 10.2% $37

Eating Out

Antioch, CA

$348 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 1.2% $4.3

Clothing & Footwear

Antioch, CA

$99 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 62.6% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Antioch, CA

$70 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 28.2% $20

Getting Around

Antioch, CA

$21 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 343% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Antioch, CA and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 8% 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: $89.0 in Antioch, CA vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $449 per month, with Antioch, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Antioch, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:35 9:35 PM

23:35 11:35 PM

2 h ahead of Antioch, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,502

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Antioch, CA Chicago, IL 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Antioch, CA
Chicago, IL

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

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

Antioch, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and clothing. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% 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: $1,598 in Antioch, CA versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,544 in Antioch, CA versus $1,652 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antioch, CA – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Antioch, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Antioch, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Antioch, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.