Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Agoura Hills, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Agoura Hills, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,184 in Chicago, IL versus $2,833 in Agoura Hills, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,725 in Chicago, IL versus $4,252 in Agoura Hills, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,266 in Chicago, IL versus $5,672 in Agoura Hills, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 12% more expensive than in Agoura Hills, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 131% above, Agoura Hills, CA 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$25.29 $25.29

-19.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 $88.8

$102 $102

-12.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$11.61 $11.61

13.35%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$5.71 $5.71

1.05%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.67 $2.67

-1.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.05 $2.05

14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$8.20 $8.20

-13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$8.73 $8.73

5.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.19 $1.19

9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$5.90 $5.90

-31.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$4.25 $4.25

33.88%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$5.07 $5.07

-4.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.25 $12.25

23.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$20.74 $20.74

-28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.28 $19.28

$14.19 $14.19

35.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$5.36 $5.36

5.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.80 $1.80

7.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.14 $4.14

-0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.55 $6.55

-21.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.69 $3.69

-20.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.51 $3.51

-21.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.36 $2.36

-2.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.24 $2.24

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.93 $15.93

$11.53 $11.53

38.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.83 $14.83

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.70 $1.70

48.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.15 $3.15

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.04 $2.04

24.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$78.6 $78.6

-4.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.54 $4.54

-27.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.91 $1.91

-28.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.55 $22.55

$35.66 $35.66

-36.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.45 $1.45

-15.86%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$29.1K $29.1K

23.96%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.76%

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

$188 $188

$212 $212

-11.11%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$70.4 $70.4

-1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$69.2 $69.2

-8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 $63.4

$50.2 $50.2

26.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.11 $27.11

Cinema Ticket

$17.90 $17.90

$12.19 $12.19

46.84%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$1,974 $1,974

-22.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$42.9K $42.9K

-25.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$74.1 $74.1

-16.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$41.28 $41.28

36.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$81.4 $81.4

23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$170 $170

-8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$1,582 $1,582

48.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$1,282 $1,282

32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,576 $4,576

$2,515 $2,515

81.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$2,121 $2,121

32.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,130 $4,130

$2,764 $2,764

49.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$2,371 $2,371

15.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,891 $4,891

$4,670 $4,670

4.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.08

4.93%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Agoura Hills, CA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,342 in Chicago, IL and $1,582 in Agoura Hills, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 5% 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: $89.0 in Chicago, IL vs $102 in Agoura Hills, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $465 vs $477 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

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 Agoura Hills, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agoura Hills, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Agoura Hills, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Chicago, IL, 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: $2,342 in Chicago, IL versus $1,582 in Agoura Hills, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,974 in Agoura Hills, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Agoura Hills, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Agoura Hills, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,833 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Agoura Hills, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Agoura Hills, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.