Cost of Living Comparison Between Canterbury and Chico, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Canterbury and Chico, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,973 in Canterbury versus $2,520 in Chico, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,254 in Canterbury versus $4,035 in Chico, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,535 in Canterbury versus $5,550 in Chico, CA.

Living in Canterbury is roughly 18% more expensive than in Chico, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Canterbury 116% above, Chico, CA 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.85 £18.37

$24.98 $24.98

-0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 £67.4

$49.45 $49.45

84.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 £7.87

$11.87 $11.87

-10.28%

Cappuccino

$4.83 £3.57

$5.39 $5.39

-10.39%

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

$2.61 £1.93

$2.62 $2.62

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.63

$2.23 $2.23

-0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 £5.39

$7.38 $7.38

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 £4.99

$7.79 $7.79

-13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 £1.15

$1.10 $1.10

41.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 £0.96

$2.98 $2.98

-56.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 £1.28

$3.68 $3.68

-52.99%

Eggs

$3.29 £2.43

$4.85 $4.85

-32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 £7.25

$10.87 $10.87

-9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 £5.96

$12.03 $12.03

-33.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.12 £20.79

$15.50 $15.50

81.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 £2.32

$5.54 $5.54

-43.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 £1.06

$2.26 $2.26

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 £2.36

$3.89 $3.89

-17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 £2.37

$5.60 $5.60

-42.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$5.00 $5.00

-66.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$3.01 $3.01

-50.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 £1.33

$2.40 $2.40

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 £2.10

$2.54 $2.54

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.64 £17.47

$8.13 $8.13

190.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 £12.05

$12.08 $12.08

35.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 £2.00

$1.71 $1.71

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 £2.99

$5.13 $5.13

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.09 £3.02

$2.98 $2.98

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 £110

$35.15 $35.15

322.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 £3.78

$3.17 $3.17

61.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 £1.96

$2.44 $2.44

9.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.20 £16.41

$40.54 $40.54

-45.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 £1.42

$1.35 $1.35

42.22%

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

$38.1K £28.2K

$38.1K $38.1K

0.08%

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

$42.2K £31.2K

$24.8K $24.8K

70.15%

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

$398 £294

$187 $187

113.14%

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

$35.50 £26.24

$48.48 $48.48

-26.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.20 £30.46

$66.7 $66.7

-38.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 £41.51

$75.3 $75.3

-25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.62 £28.55

Cinema Ticket

$20.24 £14.96

$13.26 $13.26

52.64%

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

$855 £632

$1,841 $1,841

-53.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K £15.3K

$37.1K $37.1K

-44.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 £73.1

$50.9 $50.9

94.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.48 £21.05

$31.89 $31.89

-10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 £57.8

$69.9 $69.9

11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 £110

$101 $101

46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 £1,068

$1,486 $1,486

-2.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 £1,029

$1,120 $1,120

24.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 £1,794

$2,870 $2,870

-15.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 £1,482

$2,550 $2,550

-21.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,295 £3,914

$3,230 $3,230

63.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,419 £3,267

$2,915 $2,915

51.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,317 £2,452

$3,811 $3,811

-12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.51

6.1

-9.67%

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

Last update for Canterbury: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chico, CA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,445 in Canterbury and $1,486 in Chico, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in Canterbury vs $49.00 in Chico, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $403, with Canterbury 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

Canterbury vs Chico, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chico, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Canterbury. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chico, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Chico, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,445 in Canterbury versus $1,486 in Chico, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $855 in Canterbury versus $1,841 in Chico, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Canterbury pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Chico, 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, Canterbury and Chico, CA 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 Chico, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Canterbury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.