Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,570 in Anaheim, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Anaheim, CA
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Anaheim, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Anaheim, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,570 in Anaheim, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Anaheim, CA $3,570

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,968 in Anaheim, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Anaheim, CA $4,968

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,365 in Anaheim, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Anaheim, CA $6,365

Chicago, IL is about 14% cheaper than Anaheim, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Anaheim, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Anaheim, CA by 164%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$24.63 $24.63

-17.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$76.7 $76.7

15.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$16.81 $16.81

-23.56%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.73 $5.73

0.87%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.01 $3.01

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.43 $2.43

-7.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.19 $7.19

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.72 $9.72

-4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.23 $1.23

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.75 $4.75

-25.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.89 $4.89

10.02%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.86 $5.86

-22.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$15.39 $15.39

-11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$18.43 $18.43

-23.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.55 $19.55

-7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.09 $5.09

1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.40 $2.40

-17.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.92 $3.92

-1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.49 $5.49

-12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.74 $3.74

-24.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.22 $2.22

20.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.18 $2.18

-5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.95 $1.95

55.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.67 $11.67

19.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.98 $1.98

32.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.23 $4.23

-18.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$67.7 $67.7

11.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.03 $3.03

4.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.88 $1.88

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$36.62 $36.62

-32.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.53 $1.53

-16.34%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

25.75%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-0.98%

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

$192 $192

$165 $165

16.49%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$67.3 $67.3

3.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$72.9 $72.9

-14.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$78.8 $78.8

-39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$10.19 $10.19

165.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$18.30 $18.30

-2.57%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,170 $1,170

55.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.7K $21.7K

86.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$57.1 $57.1

15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.26 $47.26

8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$104 $104

-0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$147 $147

-2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,240 $2,240

13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$2,030 $2,030

-20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,763 $2,763

74.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,930 $2,930

-6.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$7,580 $7,580

-45.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$6,026 $6,026

-54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,155 $4,155

18.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.31

7.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Anaheim, CA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Anaheim, CA

$2K 56.9% 25.2% $409

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Anaheim, CA

$479 13.4% 9.1% $40

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Anaheim, CA

$393 11% 14.4% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Anaheim, CA

$305 8.5% 5.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Anaheim, CA

$160 4.5% 2.4% $4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Anaheim, CA

$88 2.5% 8.7% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Anaheim, CA

$115 3.2% 38.3% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,240 in Anaheim, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $77 in Anaheim, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $479 in Anaheim, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Anaheim, CA

🕒 Local time

09:49 9:49 AM

07:49 7:49 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

350,742

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Anaheim, CA 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Anaheim, CA costs about 16% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,356 in Anaheim, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Anaheim, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,240 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Anaheim, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $77 in Anaheim, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,570 in Anaheim, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,072 versus $3,570 in Anaheim, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.