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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $3,127 in Alhambra, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $4,070 in Alhambra, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,014 in Alhambra, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 2% less than in Alhambra, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Alhambra, CA 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$18.67 $18.67

12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$76.0 $76.0

29.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.81 $10.81

9.71%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.13 $5.13

9.16%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.59 $2.59

18.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.98 $1.98

24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.13 $6.13

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.21 $7.21

12.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.01 $1.01

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.55 $3.55

15.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.30 $4.30

30.47%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.09 $4.09

10.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$12.34 $12.34

15.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.55 $11.55

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$15.13 $15.13

26.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.77 $4.77

7.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.58 $1.58

12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.23 $4.23

3.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.76 $4.76

-4.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.80 $2.80

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.85 $2.85

-3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.10 $2.10

15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.18 $2.18

20.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$9.50 $9.50

57.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.95 $14.95

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.80 $1.80

36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.39 $3.39

10.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.95 $1.95

27.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.54 $3.54

-10.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.61 $1.61

-11.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$29.26 $29.26

-14.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.90 $0.90

17.78%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.4K $29.4K

8.41%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

0.31%

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

$185 $185

$189 $189

-2.39%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$53.7 $53.7

14.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$67.3 $67.3

-0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.74 $42.74

75.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$13.32 $13.32

10.44%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,274 $1,274

58.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$23.7K $23.7K

66.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$50.3 $50.3

28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$39.51 $39.51

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$86.0 $86.0

13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$113 $113

30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$2,265 $2,265

2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,933 $1,933

-17.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,578 $2,578

78.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,197 $2,197

26.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$6,960 $6,960

-43.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$6,025 $6,025

-56.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$4,817 $4,817

8.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Alhambra, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $2,265 in Alhambra, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $76.0 in Alhambra, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $388 per month, with Alhambra, CA 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 Alhambra, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Alhambra, CA differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,077 vs $3,127 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chicago, IL pays 8% more on average, 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $2,265 in Alhambra, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,274 in Alhambra, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $76.0 in Alhambra, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Alhambra, 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 Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Alhambra, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.