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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,655 in Brea, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $4,277 in Brea, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,900 in Brea, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 16% more expensive than Brea, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Brea, CA 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$19.96 $19.96

4.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$85.9 $85.9

14.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.06 $10.06

17.89%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.97 $4.97

12.68%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.71 $2.71

13.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.03 $2.03

21.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.94 $6.94

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.05 $7.05

14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.12 $1.12

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.10 $4.10

0.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.60 $4.60

21.96%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.56 $4.56

-1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$12.44 $12.44

14.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.68 $11.68

27.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$14.77 $14.77

29.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.46 $3.46

48.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.85 $1.85

-4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.82 $3.82

14.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.54 $5.54

-17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.20 $3.20

-20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.92 $2.92

-5.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.03 $2.03

19.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.10 $2.10

24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.01 $10.01

49.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$15.22 $15.22

-2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.69 $1.69

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.65 $4.65

-19.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.94 $1.94

27.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.90 $3.90

-18.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.70 $2.70

-47.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$32.43 $32.43

-23.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.29 $1.29

-17.83%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

25.49%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.75%

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

$185 $185

$201 $201

-8.05%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$46.86 $46.86

31.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$59.3 $59.3

12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.64 $42.64

76.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$14.08 $14.08

4.47%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,214 $1,214

66.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$40.0K $40.0K

-1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$68.3 $68.3

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$34.08 $34.08

53.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$83.9 $83.9

16.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$126 $126

17.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,627 $1,627

42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,332 $1,332

19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,815 $2,815

63.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$3,084 $3,084

-9.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$5,828 $5,828

-32.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$5,811 $5,811

-55.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$9,827 $9,827

-46.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.58

0.30%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,627 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $86.0 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $397 per month, with Brea, CA cheaper across the board.

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 Brea, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brea, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brea, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brea, CA earns 88% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,627 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,214 in Brea, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brea, CA – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $98.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brea, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brea, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,655 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brea, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Brea, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brea, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.