Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Adelanto, CA: $2,524 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Adelanto, CA
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Adelanto, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Adelanto, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,524

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Adelanto, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Adelanto, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,524 in Adelanto, CA.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Adelanto, CA $2,524

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,674 in Adelanto, CA.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Adelanto, CA $3,674

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $4,824 in Adelanto, CA.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Adelanto, CA $4,824

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 20% more expensive than in Adelanto, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Adelanto, CA 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.83 $19.83

4.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$49.46 $49.46

80.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.97 $14.97

-11.89%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.88 $5.88

-3.74%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.98 $1.98

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.03 $1.03

121.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.68 $7.68

-10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.95 $6.95

27.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.30 $2.30

61.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.32 $2.32

132.33%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.45 $3.45

37.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.03 $13.03

6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.69 $6.69

115.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.62 $15.62

17.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.85 $4.85

7.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.72 $1.72

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.83 $2.83

43.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.91 $3.91

27.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.99 $1.99

34.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.24 $2.24

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.87 $1.87

19.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.89 $1.89

65.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.74 $11.74

17.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.84 $14.84

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.02 $2.02

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.14 $4.14

-15.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.80 $1.80

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$63.2 $63.2

16.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$6.12 $6.12

-48.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.72 $1.72

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$33.64 $33.64

-25.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.58 $1.58

-24.05%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.1K $29.1K

20.25%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.39%

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

$194 $194

$165 $165

17.67%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$66.7 $66.7

4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.7 $59.7

3.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.02 $42.02

13.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.30 $15.30

16.41%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,872 $1,872

-4.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.5K $23.5K

35.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.7 $56.7

18.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.30 $39.30

32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$92.7 $92.7

9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$142 $142

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,550 $1,550

62.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,257 $1,257

25.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,527 $2,527

87.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,134 $2,134

26.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,889 $2,889

45.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,255 $2,255

22.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,611 $7,611

-35.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Adelanto, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Adelanto, CA

$1.3K 49.8% 20.3% $321

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Adelanto, CA

$330 13.1% 26.2% $117

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Adelanto, CA

$338 13.4% 1.9% $6.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Adelanto, CA

$292 11.6% 10.4% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Adelanto, CA

$149 5.9% 9.2% $15

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Adelanto, CA

$85 3.4% 8.9% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Adelanto, CA

$73 2.9% 13.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,550 in Adelanto, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Adelanto, CA pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $49 in Adelanto, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $330 per month, with Adelanto, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Adelanto, CA

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

11:48 11:48 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

38,644

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Adelanto, CA 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Adelanto, CA

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

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

Adelanto, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Chicago, IL. 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: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,550 in Adelanto, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Adelanto, CA – a meal for two runs $49 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,524 in Adelanto, CA – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Adelanto, 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.

Expats usually find Adelanto, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.