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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Chicago, IL versus $2,799 in Antioch, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,576 in Chicago, IL versus $3,970 in Antioch, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,143 in Chicago, IL versus $5,141 in Antioch, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 7% more expensive than in Antioch, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 126% above, Antioch, CA 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$19.63 $19.63

3.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.8 $78.8

27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$10.33 $10.33

16.55%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$5.47 $5.47

5.30%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.58 $2.58

15.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.12 $2.12

12.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$7.86 $7.86

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.89 $7.89

2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.16 $4.16

-0.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.42 $5.42

-2.40%

Eggs

$4.56 $4.56

$4.63 $4.63

-1.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 $14.45

$15.50 $15.50

-6.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.02 $15.02

-1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 $19.56

$19.00 $19.00

2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.22 $5.22

3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.01 $2.01

-14.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.33 $3.33

25.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$7.11 $7.11

-35.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.73 $1.73

43.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$4.49 $4.49

-39.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.78 $2.78

-11.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.98 $1.98

37.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.78 $14.78

$8.02 $8.02

84.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$15.33 $15.33

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.14 $2.14

9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.98 $1.98

88.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.98 $1.98

24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 $74.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 $3.32

$4.03 $4.03

-17.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.91 $1.91

-28.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 $24.65

$27.41 $27.41

-10.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.08 $1.08

-2.78%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$28.0K $28.0K

15.63%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.71%

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

$186 $186

$331 $331

-43.75%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$58.9 $58.9

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$76.3 $76.3

-11.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$43.08 $43.08

74.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 $13.38

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$7.90 $7.90

91.14%

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

$2,023 $2,023

$1,708 $1,708

18.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$5,011 $5,011

695.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$24.65 $24.65

160.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$21.78 $21.78

134.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$92.9 $92.9

3.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$79.5 $79.5

85.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 $2,329

$1,613 $1,613

44.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$1,335 $1,335

17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,677 $4,677

$3,407 $3,407

37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,810 $2,810

$2,210 $2,210

27.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,082 $4,082

$2,557 $2,557

59.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,645 $2,645

$2,077 $2,077

27.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,883 $4,883

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

5.5

20.00%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 27, 2026

Last update for Antioch, CA: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,329 in Chicago, IL and $1,613 in Antioch, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Chicago, IL vs $79.0 in Antioch, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $453, with Chicago, IL 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

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

Antioch, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,513 in Chicago, IL and $4,199 in Antioch, CA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,329 in Chicago, IL versus $1,613 in Antioch, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,023 in Chicago, IL versus $1,708 in Antioch, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antioch, CA – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $101 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Antioch, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Antioch, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Antioch, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.