Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Belmont, CA: $2,523 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Belmont, CA
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Belmont, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Belmont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,523

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,523 in Belmont, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Belmont, CA $2,523

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,524 in Belmont, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Belmont, CA $3,524

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,524 in Belmont, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Belmont, CA $4,524

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Belmont, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Belmont, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Belmont, CA by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.77 $19.77

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$58.9 $58.9

50.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.82 $11.82

8.71%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.54 $4.54

27.31%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.97 $1.97

39.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.20 $2.20

2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.89 $4.89

40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.99 $5.99

54.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.40 $1.40

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.36 $3.36

5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.48 $4.48

20.09%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.06 $5.06

-10.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$6.75 $6.75

102.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.15 $13.15

7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$13.27 $13.27

36.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.15 $2.15

140.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.23 $2.23

-11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.24 $2.24

73.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.22 $2.22

117.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.50 $2.50

12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.92 $1.92

39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.98 $2.98

-30.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.98 $0.98

209.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.58 $11.58

20.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$6.07 $6.07

147.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.70 $1.70

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.03 $2.03

69.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.01 $2.01

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.9 $59.9

25.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.56 $2.56

23.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.76 $1.76

-3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$29.97 $29.97

-16.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.52 $1.52

-15.79%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

28.91%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.71%

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

$192 $192

$284 $284

-32.31%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$41.84 $41.84

66.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$76.0 $76.0

-18.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.15 $40.15

19.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.72 $14.72

21.13%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,098 $2,098

-13.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$30.9K $30.9K

31.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$36.90 $36.90

79.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$34.79 $34.79

47.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$49.03 $49.03

110.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$113 $113

26.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,235 $2,235

13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,251 $1,251

29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,640 $2,640

82.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,904 $1,904

43.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,178 $3,178

30.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,375 $2,375

14.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.51

4.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Belmont, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Belmont, CA

$1.3K 49.6% 22.8% $370

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Belmont, CA

$315 12.5% 28.2% $124

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Belmont, CA

$301 11.9% 12.4% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Belmont, CA

$402 15.9% 24% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Belmont, CA

$105 4.2% 35.8% $59

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Belmont, CA

$79 3.1% 17.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Belmont, CA

$70 2.8% 16.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,235 in Belmont, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $59 in Belmont, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $315 – making Belmont, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Belmont, CA

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

02:50 2:50 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

24,729

💱 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 Belmont, CA 2,980 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Belmont, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $3,785 in Belmont, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belmont, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,235 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,098 in Belmont, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,523 in Belmont, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,523 in Belmont, CA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Belmont, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.