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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,655 in Brea, CA versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,277 in Brea, CA versus $4,628 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,900 in Brea, CA versus $6,179 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Brea, CA costs roughly 14% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brea, CA 98% above, Chicago, IL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$20.91 $20.91

-4.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 $85.9

$98.1 $98.1

-12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$11.86 $11.86

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$5.60 $5.60

-11.25%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.07 $3.07

-11.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.47 $2.47

-17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.14 $7.14

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.08 $8.08

-12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.05 $1.05

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.11 $4.11

-0.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.61 $5.61

-18.00%

Eggs

$4.56 $4.56

$4.51 $4.51

1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$14.27 $14.27

-12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$14.89 $14.89

-21.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 $14.77

$19.19 $19.19

-23.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.14 $5.14

-32.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.77 $1.77

4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$4.39 $4.39

-12.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.56 $4.56

21.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.54 $2.54

25.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.75 $2.75

6.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.42 $2.42

-16.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.62 $2.62

-19.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$14.92 $14.92

-32.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$14.80 $14.80

2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.46 $2.46

-31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.73 $3.73

24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.48 $2.48

-21.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.18 $3.18

22.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.42 $1.42

90.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.43 $32.43

$24.94 $24.94

30.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.06 $1.06

21.70%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-20.31%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.78%

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

$201 $201

$185 $185

8.76%

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

$46.86 $46.86

$61.7 $61.7

-24.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 $59.3

$66.9 $66.9

-11.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.64 $42.64

$75.2 $75.2

-43.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 $14.08

$14.71 $14.71

-4.28%

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

$1,214 $1,214

$2,020 $2,020

-39.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$39.4K $39.4K

1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$64.6 $64.6

5.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.08 $34.08

$52.5 $52.5

-35.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 $83.9

$97.8 $97.8

-14.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$148 $148

-14.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$2,313 $2,313

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$1,590 $1,590

-16.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 $2,815

$4,608 $4,608

-38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,084 $3,084

$2,779 $2,779

10.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,828 $5,828

$3,922 $3,922

48.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,811 $5,811

$2,613 $2,613

122.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,827 $9,827

$5,217 $5,217

88.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.6

-0.30%

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

Last update for Brea, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Brea, CA and $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Brea, CA vs $98.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $447 per month, with Brea, CA 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

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

Brea, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brea, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brea, CA pays 88% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,627 in Brea, CA versus $2,313 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,214 in Brea, CA versus $2,020 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 Brea, CA – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $98.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brea, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brea, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,655 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brea, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brea, 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 Brea, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.