Cost of Living Comparison Between Beverly Hills, CA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Beverly Hills, CA and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,447 in Beverly Hills, CA versus $3,117 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,124 in Beverly Hills, CA versus $4,695 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,802 in Beverly Hills, CA versus $6,273 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Beverly Hills, CA is roughly 11% more expensive than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beverly Hills, CA 152% above, Chicago, IL 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.95 $24.95

$19.92 $19.92

25.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$88.5 $88.5

36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.94 $12.94

12.91%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$5.54 $5.54

5.96%

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

$3.78 $3.78

$2.74 $2.74

37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.36 $2.36

16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$7.12 $7.12

13.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$8.73 $8.73

12.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.34 $1.34

-19.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.17 $4.17

18.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$5.73 $5.73

-12.91%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$4.89 $4.89

22.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$14.77 $14.77

-17.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$14.85 $14.85

7.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$19.61 $19.61

-0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.57 $5.57

-3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.92 $1.92

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.17 $4.17

18.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.86 $4.86

22.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.84 $2.84

15.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.80 $2.80

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.20 $2.20

-9.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.06 $3.06

-16.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.25 $13.25

$16.16 $16.16

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$14.82 $14.82

3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.53 $2.53

23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.35 $3.35

-17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 $75.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.30 $3.30

-6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.36 $1.36

33.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.06 $32.06

$25.12 $25.12

27.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.17 $1.17

20.51%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

2.11%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.99%

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

$123 $123

$191 $191

-35.97%

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

$75.5 $75.5

$67.9 $67.9

11.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 $76.3

$61.7 $61.7

23.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 $63.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.14 $27.14

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$18.02 $18.02

-18.15%

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

$1,727 $1,727

$1,522 $1,522

13.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K $32.3K

$31.3K $31.3K

3.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 $75.7

$63.7 $63.7

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.94 $49.94

$55.3 $55.3

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$100 $100

-4.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$208 $208

$153 $153

35.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,291 $2,291

$2,406 $2,406

-4.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 $2,023

$1,653 $1,653

22.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,436 $5,436

$4,577 $4,577

18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,412 $5,412

$2,771 $2,771

95.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,031 $4,031

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,804 $4,804

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.38

1.88%

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

Last update for Beverly Hills, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,291 in Beverly Hills, CA and $2,406 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Beverly Hills, CA vs $88.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 vs $464 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chicago, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,170 in Beverly Hills, CA and $4,676 in Chicago, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,291 in Beverly Hills, CA versus $2,406 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Beverly Hills, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,447 per month in Beverly Hills, CA versus $3,117 in Chicago, IL – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, Beverly Hills, CA and Chicago, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Beverly Hills, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.