Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Belmont, CA: $2,523 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

122

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

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

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Belmont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,523

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,523 per month in Belmont, CA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Belmont, CA $2,523
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,524 per month in Belmont, CA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Belmont, CA $3,524
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,524 per month in Belmont, CA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Belmont, CA $4,524
Chicago, IL $6,019

Belmont, CA is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Belmont, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Belmont, CA by 87%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$20.39 $20.39

-3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$88.6 $88.6

-33.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$12.85 $12.85

-8.02%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$5.78 $5.78

-21.45%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$2.74 $2.74

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.26 $2.26

-2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$6.88 $6.88

-28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$9.24 $9.24

-35.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.26 $1.26

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.55 $3.55

-5.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.38 $5.38

-16.73%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.55 $4.55

11.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$13.65 $13.65

-50.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$14.07 $14.07

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$18.06 $18.06

-26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$5.16 $5.16

-58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.98 $1.98

12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.88 $3.88

-42.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$4.83 $4.83

-54.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.81 $2.81

-11.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.67 $2.67

-28.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.07 $2.07

43.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$3.03 $3.03

-67.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.58 $11.58

$13.90 $13.90

-16.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$15.05 $15.05

-59.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.63 $2.63

-35.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.45 $3.45

-41.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.43 $2.43

-17.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$75.3 $75.3

-20.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.17 $3.17

-19.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 $1.70

3.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.97 $29.97

$24.90 $24.90

20.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.28 $1.28

18.75%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.42%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.70%

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

$284 $284

$192 $192

47.73%

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

$41.84 $41.84

$69.6 $69.6

-39.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$62.2 $62.2

22.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 $40.15

$47.79 $47.79

-15.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$17.83 $17.83

-17.44%

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

$2,098 $2,098

$1,815 $1,815

15.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.9K $30.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 $36.90

$66.2 $66.2

-44.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.79 $34.79

$51.4 $51.4

-32.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.03 $49.03

$103 $103

-52.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$143 $143

-21.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 $2,235

$2,531 $2,531

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$1,621 $1,621

-22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$4,828 $4,828

-45.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 $1,904

$2,734 $2,734

-30.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,178 $3,178

$4,163 $4,163

-23.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,375 $2,375

$2,723 $2,723

-12.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.78

-3.98%

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

Last update for Belmont, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Belmont, CA

$1.3K 49.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 29.6% $370

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belmont, CA

$402 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 19.4% $78

Groceries & Markets

Belmont, CA

$315 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 39.3% $124

Eating Out

Belmont, CA

$301 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 14.2% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Belmont, CA

$105 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 55.8% $59

Getting Around

Belmont, CA

$79 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 21.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Belmont, CA

$70 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 19.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,235 in Belmont, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Belmont, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $439 – making Belmont, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Belmont, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:03 6:03 AM

08:03 8:03 AM

2 h ahead of Belmont, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,729

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Belmont, CA Chicago, IL 2,980 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Belmont, 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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Belmont, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,785 per month in Belmont, 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 Belmont, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,235 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $2,098 per month in Belmont, CA and $1,815 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,523 in Belmont, CA and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,523 in Belmont, CA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Belmont, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.