Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Atascadero, CA: $2,673 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

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

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

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Atascadero, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,673

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,673 per month in Atascadero, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Atascadero, CA $2,673
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,792 per month in Atascadero, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Atascadero, CA $3,792
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,910 per month in Atascadero, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Atascadero, CA $4,910
Chicago, IL $6,115

Atascadero, CA is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Atascadero, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Atascadero, CA by 97%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.93 $19.93

$20.65 $20.65

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.22 $35.22

$90.2 $90.2

-60.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 $9.53

$12.94 $12.94

-26.35%

Cappuccino

$4.37 $4.37

$5.60 $5.60

-21.96%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$2.64 $2.64

-7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.27 $2.27

-13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$6.98 $6.98

-16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 $5.03

$8.83 $8.83

-43.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.80 $3.80

-40.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$5.30 $5.30

42.45%

Eggs

$6.03 $6.03

$4.76 $4.76

26.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$13.96 $13.96

-11.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.76 $16.76

$14.61 $14.61

14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$18.77 $18.77

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$5.19 $5.19

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.98 $1.98

61.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.93 $3.93

9.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.96 $4.96

-7.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.76 $2.76

0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.76 $2.76

60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.22 $2.22

131.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.98 $2.98

-22.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.00 $12.00

$14.02 $14.02

-14.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 $25.27

$15.28 $15.28

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.58 $2.58

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.50 $3.50

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.47 $2.47

-7.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.34 $3.34

-17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.43 $1.43

14.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.20 $26.20

$24.32 $24.32

7.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.26 $1.26

21.43%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.57%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.57%

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

$203 $203

$193 $193

5.14%

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

$39.65 $39.65

$68.3 $68.3

-41.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.2 $87.2

$61.3 $61.3

42.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.69 $41.69

$54.1 $54.1

-22.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.06 $17.06

$17.74 $17.74

-3.83%

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

$2,539 $2,539

$1,652 $1,652

53.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.43 $25.43

$66.1 $66.1

-61.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.8 $61.8

$51.2 $51.2

20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 $90.0

$100 $100

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 $157

$141 $141

11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$2,446 $2,446

-34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 $1,320

$1,678 $1,678

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,552 $2,552

$4,717 $4,717

-45.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,142 $2,142

$2,795 $2,795

-23.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 $2,375

$4,105 $4,105

-42.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,586 $2,586

$2,650 $2,650

-2.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

6.81

-4.99%

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

Last update for Atascadero, 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

Atascadero, CA

$1.3K 49.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27.1% $358

Groceries & Markets

Atascadero, CA

$480 18%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 6.4% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Atascadero, CA

$329 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 2.2% $7.2

Eating Out

Atascadero, CA

$297 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 15.5% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Atascadero, CA

$151 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 7.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Atascadero, CA

$76 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 18.2% $14

Getting Around

Atascadero, CA

$20 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 374% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,615 in Atascadero, CA versus $2,446 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Atascadero, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $480 in Atascadero, CA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Atascadero, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:14 12:14 AM

02:14 2:14 AM

2 h ahead of Atascadero, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,330

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Atascadero, CA Chicago, IL 2,940 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Atascadero, 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

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,010 per month in Atascadero, CA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Atascadero, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Atascadero, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,673 in Atascadero, CA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Atascadero, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Atascadero, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.