Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Apple Valley, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Apple Valley, CA: $2,760 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Apple Valley, CA
Learn more

Apple Valley, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Apple Valley, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,760

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL versus $2,760 in Apple Valley, CA.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Apple Valley, CA $2,760

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,545 in Chicago, IL versus $3,642 in Apple Valley, CA.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Apple Valley, CA $3,642

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,019 in Chicago, IL versus $4,524 in Apple Valley, CA.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Apple Valley, CA $4,524

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 11% more expensive than in Apple Valley, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 127% above, Apple Valley, CA 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$15.16 $15.16

34.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$35.64 $35.64

148.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.11 $10.11

27.10%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.12 $5.12

12.89%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.01 $2.01

36.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.51 $1.51

49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.93 $4.93

39.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.71 $5.71

61.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.90 $0.90

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.01 $4.01

-11.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.92 $2.92

84.25%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.01 $2.01

126.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.92 $13.92

-1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.95 $13.95

0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$12.55 $12.55

43.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.86 $4.86

6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.23 $2.23

-11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.37 $4.37

-11.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.99 $4.99

-3.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.56 $4.56

-38.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.18 $4.18

-36.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.17 $2.17

-4.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.31 $2.31

31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.14 $11.14

24.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.75 $13.75

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.67 $1.67

57.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.65 $2.65

30.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.87 $1.87

29.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.0 $60.0

25.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.98 $3.98

-20.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.77 $1.77

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.27 $24.27

2.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.44 $1.44

-11.11%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.6K $29.6K

20.70%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.55%

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

$192 $192

$246 $246

-22.05%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$81.9 $81.9

-15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$65.3 $65.3

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$44.81 $44.81

6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.97 $11.97

48.96%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$545 $545

232.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$11.1K $11.1K

265.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$31.13 $31.13

112.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$34.84 $34.84

47.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$73.2 $73.2

41.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$138 $138

3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,456 $1,456

73.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,431 $1,431

13.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,368 $2,368

103.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,849 $1,849

47.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,535 $2,535

64.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,168 $2,168

25.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,123 $4,123

19.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.68

1.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Apple Valley, CA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Apple Valley, CA

$1.4K 51.9% 11.7% $190

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Apple Valley, CA

$398 14.4% 9.5% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Apple Valley, CA

$263 9.5% 23.5% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Apple Valley, CA

$394 14.3% 21.5% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Apple Valley, CA

$125 4.5% 23.7% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Apple Valley, CA

$80 2.9% 17% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Apple Valley, CA

$69 2.5% 17.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,531 in Chicago, IL and $1,456 in Apple Valley, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 19% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $36 in Apple Valley, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $398 per month, with Apple Valley, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Apple Valley, CA

🕒 Local time

03:17 3:17 AM

01:17 1:17 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

50,109

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Apple Valley, CA 2,700 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Apple Valley, CA is about 10% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,456 in Apple Valley, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Apple Valley, CA – a meal for two runs $36 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,760 in Apple Valley, CA – Apple Valley, CA is about 10% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Apple Valley, CA 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.

Expats usually find Apple Valley, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.