Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,339 in Camarillo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Camarillo, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

211

Cost of Living Index in Camarillo, CA
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Camarillo, CA Living Index
147

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

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Camarillo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,339

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,339 in Camarillo, CA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Camarillo, CA $4,339
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,470 in Camarillo, CA versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Camarillo, CA $5,470
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,602 in Camarillo, CA versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Camarillo, CA $6,602
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Camarillo, CA is roughly 43% more expensive than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Camarillo, CA 219% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.55 $24.55

$20.71 $20.71

18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 $64.0

$89.2 $89.2

-28.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 $9.84

$13.19 $13.19

-25.40%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$5.66 $5.66

-2.65%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$2.64 $2.64

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.28 $2.28

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$6.87 $6.87

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$8.84 $8.84

12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.25 $1.25

-39.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.72 $3.72

-56.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.39 $5.39

-18.92%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$4.74 $4.74

-37.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$13.84 $13.84

-21.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$14.40 $14.40

-24.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 $13.77

$18.38 $18.38

-25.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$5.22 $5.22

6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.98 $1.98

-9.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.06 $4.06

5.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$4.97 $4.97

29.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.67 $2.67

30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.66 $2.66

33.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.24 $2.24

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.13 $3.13

-26.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 $9.98

$13.82 $13.82

-27.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 $9.87

$14.88 $14.88

-33.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.54 $2.54

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.51 $3.51

-7.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.18 $3.18

40.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.39 $1.39

30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.31 $36.31

$25.03 $25.03

45.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.20 $1.20

18.33%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.86%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.76%

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

$211 $211

$194 $194

8.43%

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

$63.6 $63.6

$69.5 $69.5

-8.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$61.6 $61.6

12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.67 $32.67

$47.90 $47.90

-31.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$17.81 $17.81

-32.00%

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

$1,871 $1,871

$1,794 $1,794

4.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K $42.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

32.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$67.0 $67.0

-23.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.03 $35.03

$52.1 $52.1

-32.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 $74.1

$102 $102

-27.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$144 $144

-13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$2,526 $2,526

-12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,071 $3,071

$1,578 $1,578

94.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,280 $4,280

$4,738 $4,738

-9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,872 $3,872

$2,693 $2,693

43.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,391 $6,391

$4,190 $4,190

52.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,684 $5,684

$4,931 $4,931

15.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Camarillo, CA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Camarillo, CA

$3.1K 70.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 48.6% $1.5K

Eating Out

Camarillo, CA

$367 8.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 5.9% $22

Groceries & Markets

Camarillo, CA

$359 8.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 24.6% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Camarillo, CA

$344 7.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.3% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Camarillo, CA

$128 3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 28.2% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Camarillo, CA

$57 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 46.8% $27

Getting Around

Camarillo, CA

$14 * 0.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 591% $80

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,206 in Camarillo, CA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Camarillo, CA pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64 in Camarillo, CA vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $447 per month, with Camarillo, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Camarillo, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:01 2:01 AM

04:01 4:01 AM

2 h ahead of Camarillo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

62,489

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Camarillo, CA Chicago, IL 2,860 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Camarillo, 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

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

Chicago, IL is about 30% cheaper overall, especially in eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Camarillo, CA, 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: $2,206 in Camarillo, CA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Camarillo, CA pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $4,339 per month in Camarillo, CA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL is about 30% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Camarillo, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.