Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,878 in Berkeley, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

188

Cost of Living Index in Berkeley, CA
Learn more

Berkeley, CA Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Berkeley, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,878

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,878 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Berkeley, CA $3,878
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $5,546 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Berkeley, CA $5,546
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $7,215 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Berkeley, CA $7,215
Chicago, IL $6,077

Berkeley, CA costs about 22% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Berkeley, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Berkeley, CA by 187%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.39 $22.39

$21.58 $21.58

3.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$88.7 $88.7

-9.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 $10.52

$13.20 $13.20

-20.30%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.59 $5.59

8.59%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.63 $2.63

23.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.26 $2.26

36.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$7.11 $7.11

-17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$9.23 $9.23

-17.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.28 $1.28

56.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.84 $3.84

18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$5.07 $5.07

13.21%

Eggs

$6.07 $6.07

$4.84 $4.84

25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.78 $26.78

$14.17 $14.17

88.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.58 $16.58

$14.61 $14.61

13.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.69 $21.69

$18.76 $18.76

15.62%

Apples (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.19 $5.19

37.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.00 $2.00

28.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$4.00 $4.00

55.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$4.98 $4.98

109.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.79 $2.79

28.32%

Onion (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.65 $2.65

82.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.13 $2.13

18.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.09 $3.09

-0.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.57 $11.57

$16.05 $16.05

-27.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 $12.82

$15.20 $15.20

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.62 $2.62

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.46 $3.46

-19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.1 $93.1

$75.1 $75.1

23.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.21 $3.21

6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.39 $1.39

35.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.52 $39.52

$25.02 $25.02

57.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.24 $1.24

18.55%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$37.2K $37.2K

1.27%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.92%

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

$180 $180

$192 $192

-6.27%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$67.8 $67.8

-9.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 $76.7

$60.9 $60.9

25.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 $49.54

$53.6 $53.6

-7.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 $7.94

$27.90 $27.90

-71.54%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$17.80 $17.80

-14.21%

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

$2,565 $2,565

$1,554 $1,554

65.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K $35.2K

$31.4K $31.4K

12.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 $71.2

$67.9 $67.9

4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 $70.5

$50.8 $50.8

38.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$101 $101

-5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$235 $235

$143 $143

63.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$2,383 $2,383

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$1,712 $1,712

29.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,778 $4,778

$4,674 $4,674

2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,487 $3,487

$2,738 $2,738

27.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,047 $8,047

$4,158 $4,158

93.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,245 $7,245

$2,691 $2,691

169.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,775 $6,775

$4,894 $4,894

38.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.77

-2.22%

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

Last update for Berkeley, CA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Berkeley, CA

$2.2K 57.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 22.8% $507

Groceries & Markets

Berkeley, CA

$578 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 22% $127

Eating Out

Berkeley, CA

$354 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 0.2% $0.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Berkeley, CA

$319 8.2%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 0.8% $2.4

Clothing & Footwear

Berkeley, CA

$213 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 23.1% $49

Getting Around

Berkeley, CA

$116 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 17.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Berkeley, CA

$80 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 11.4% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,594 in Berkeley, CA versus $2,383 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 38% higher in Berkeley, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Berkeley, CA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $578 in Berkeley, CA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Berkeley, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:03 7:03 PM

21:03 9:03 PM

2 h ahead of Berkeley, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

121,363

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

Berkeley, CA Chicago, IL 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Berkeley, 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

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

Yes – Berkeley, CA is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,817 per month in Berkeley, CA and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 24% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,565 per month in Berkeley, CA and $1,554 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,878 in Berkeley, CA and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berkeley, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.