Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between California, MD and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in California, MD: $2,590 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in California, MD
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California, MD Living Index
147

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

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California, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,590

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,590 per month in California, MD vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

California, MD $2,590
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,729 per month in California, MD vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

California, MD $3,729
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,867 per month in California, MD vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

California, MD $4,867
Chicago, IL $5,999

California, MD is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both California, MD and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – California, MD by 90%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 $25.39

$20.71 $20.71

22.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$89.2 $89.2

-14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$13.19 $13.19

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$5.66 $5.66

6.89%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$2.64 $2.64

6.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.28 $2.28

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$6.87 $6.87

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.84 $8.84

-9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 $1.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.72 $3.72

5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$5.39 $5.39

-59.74%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$4.74 $4.74

-17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$13.84 $13.84

-16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.46 $14.46

$14.40 $14.40

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$18.38 $18.38

-28.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$5.22 $5.22

-17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.98 $1.98

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.06 $4.06

10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.97 $4.97

30.38%

Potato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.67 $2.67

68.54%

Onion (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.66 $2.66

53.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.24 $2.24

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.13 $3.13

-37.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.79 $8.79

$13.82 $13.82

-36.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 $13.83

$14.88 $14.88

-7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.54 $2.54

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 $4.77

$3.51 $3.51

35.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.43 $2.43

-11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.5 $82.5

$73.5 $73.5

12.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.18 $3.18

-7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.39 $1.39

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.83 $22.83

$25.03 $25.03

-8.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.20 $1.20

-28.33%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-6.59%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-11.79%

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

$98.1 $98.1

$194 $194

-49.56%

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

$41.45 $41.45

$69.5 $69.5

-40.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$61.6 $61.6

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$47.90 $47.90

-17.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 $11.02

$27.34 $27.34

-59.69%

Cinema Ticket

$17.68 $17.68

$17.81 $17.81

-0.73%

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

$1,937 $1,937

$1,794 $1,794

7.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$67.0 $67.0

-21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 $47.01

$52.1 $52.1

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$102 $102

-13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$144 $144

-25.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 $1,721

$2,526 $2,526

-31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 $1,308

$1,578 $1,578

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$4,738 $4,738

-61.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,891 $1,891

$2,693 $2,693

-29.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,900 $6,900

$4,190 $4,190

64.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,215 $6,215

$2,768 $2,768

124.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,967 $6,967

$4,931 $4,931

41.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.81

-6.02%

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

Last update for California, MD: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

California, MD

$1.3K 50.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 20.6% $270

Groceries & Markets

California, MD

$404 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.7% $43

Eating Out

California, MD

$368 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 6.3% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

California, MD

$201 7.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 61.6% $124

Clothing & Footwear

California, MD

$133 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 23.8% $31

Getting Around

California, MD

$101 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 8% $8.1

Sport & Entertainment

California, MD

$75 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 11.5% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,721 in California, MD versus $2,526 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 41% higher in California, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in California, MD versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $447 – making California, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 California, MD

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:51 8:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

1 h behind California, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

California, MD Chicago, IL 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

California, MD
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

California, MD vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,886 per month in California, MD and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in California, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,721 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in California, MD and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,590 in California, MD and $3,037 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 $2,590 in California, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.