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 $2,831 in Antioch, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,593 in Chicago, IL versus $4,028 in Antioch, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,177 in Chicago, IL versus $5,224 in Antioch, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 6% more expensive than Antioch, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 125% above, Antioch, CA 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.28 $20.28

0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$76.1 $76.1

33.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$10.54 $10.54

13.66%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$5.54 $5.54

2.89%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.62 $2.62

14.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.12 $2.12

16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.05 $8.05

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$7.95 $7.95

1.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.23 $1.23

-16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.31 $4.31

-8.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.67 $5.67

-4.41%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$4.45 $4.45

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$15.47 $15.47

-6.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$14.97 $14.97

-0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$19.10 $19.10

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.43 $5.43

-0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.09 $2.09

-15.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.38 $3.38

28.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.96 $6.96

-34.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.81 $1.81

39.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.33 $4.33

-35.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.77 $2.77

-9.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.99 $1.99

34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 $14.88

$7.89 $7.89

88.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$15.70 $15.70

-3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.06 $2.06

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.05 $2.05

72.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.94 $1.94

31.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 $74.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 $3.19

$4.06 $4.06

-21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.83 $1.83

-22.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 $25.49

$27.26 $27.26

-6.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.08 $1.08

-3.70%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$27.6K $27.6K

16.80%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.73%

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

$184 $184

$326 $326

-43.68%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$60.2 $60.2

4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$76.1 $76.1

-12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$42.97 $42.97

76.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 $13.06

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$8.12 $8.12

87.81%

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

$2,090 $2,090

$1,730 $1,730

20.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$5,017 $5,017

682.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$24.69 $24.69

160.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$21.84 $21.84

133.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$92.4 $92.4

5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$79.8 $79.8

86.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,578 $1,578

48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,337 $1,337

17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,741 $4,741

$3,350 $3,350

41.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$2,214 $2,214

27.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,900 $3,900

$2,548 $2,548

53.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,638 $2,638

$2,639 $2,639

-0.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Antioch, CA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,341 in Chicago, IL and $1,578 in Antioch, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $102 in Chicago, IL vs $76.0 in Antioch, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $457, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,513 in Chicago, IL and $4,247 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: $2,341 in Chicago, IL versus $1,578 in Antioch, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,090 in Chicago, IL versus $1,730 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 $76.0 versus $102 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 6% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.