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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,783 in Brentwood, CA versus $3,051 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,148 in Brentwood, CA versus $4,638 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Brentwood, CA versus $6,224 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Brentwood, CA costs roughly 9% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brentwood, CA 108% above, Chicago, IL 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.75 $29.75

$20.67 $20.67

43.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$100 $100

10.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.86 $11.86

17.20%

Cappuccino

$6.21 $6.21

$5.54 $5.54

12.09%

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

$3.64 $3.64

$3.06 $3.06

18.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.48 $2.48

37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.08 $9.08

$6.92 $6.92

31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.78 $8.78

$8.13 $8.13

8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.04 $1.04

25.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.91 $3.91

19.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$5.42 $5.42

-40.77%

Eggs

$5.42 $5.42

$4.48 $4.48

20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$14.52 $14.52

-23.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$15.21 $15.21

-28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$19.25 $19.25

-34.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.39 $5.39

-12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.69 $1.69

31.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.32 $4.32

0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.51 $4.51

10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.56 $2.56

16.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.70 $2.70

29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.41 $2.41

15.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.62 $2.62

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.53 $8.53

$15.02 $15.02

-43.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.48 $2.48

-13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.69 $3.69

-36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.55 $2.55

-19.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.29 $3.29

35.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.43 $1.43

31.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 $29.60

$24.72 $24.72

19.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$31.8K $31.8K

-6.67%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

2.08%

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

$218 $218

$183 $183

19.17%

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

$39.11 $39.11

$61.8 $61.8

-36.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$65.0 $65.0

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.67 $43.67

$76.1 $76.1

-42.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$18.18 $18.18

$14.75 $14.75

23.25%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$2,056 $2,056

-43.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$38.5K $38.5K

-36.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.85 $44.85

$63.9 $63.9

-29.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 $40.26

$51.6 $51.6

-21.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 $78.4

$97.3 $97.3

-19.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 $80.6

$147 $147

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$2,349 $2,349

-31.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$1,581 $1,581

-13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,902 $3,902

$4,708 $4,708

-17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 $2,220

$2,716 $2,716

-18.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,987 $2,987

$3,976 $3,976

-24.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,107 $2,107

$2,632 $2,632

-19.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,001 $5,001

$4,723 $4,723

5.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.6

1.06%

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

Last update for Brentwood, CA: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,611 in Brentwood, CA and $2,349 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood, CA pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $111 in Brentwood, CA vs $100 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $447, with Brentwood, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Brentwood, CA and Chicago, IL differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,783 vs $3,051 including rent). Brentwood, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brentwood, CA pays 6% 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: $1,611 in Brentwood, CA versus $2,349 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,783 per month in Brentwood, CA versus $3,051 in Chicago, IL – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brentwood, 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 Brentwood, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.