Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Brentwood, CA: $2,609 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Brentwood, CA
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Brentwood, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Brentwood, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,609 in Brentwood, CA.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Brentwood, CA $2,609

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $4,005 in Brentwood, CA.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Brentwood, CA $4,005

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $5,401 in Brentwood, CA.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Brentwood, CA $5,401

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 20% more expensive than in Brentwood, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Brentwood, CA 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.11 $25.11

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$112 $112

-19.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$15.08 $15.08

-14.19%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.59 $5.59

0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.06 $3.06

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.48 $2.48

-8.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.91 $8.91

-21.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.78 $7.78

13.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.26 $1.26

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.33 $4.33

-12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.75 $4.75

11.58%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.42 $5.42

-12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$24.69 $24.69

-43.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.72 $11.72

24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.17 $13.17

42.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.41 $5.41

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.06 $3.06

-35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.72 $4.72

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.89 $5.89

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.30 $3.30

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.86 $3.86

-28.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.96 $2.96

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.70 $2.70

10.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.68 $11.68

20.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.08 $13.08

16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.17 $2.17

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.54 $2.54

37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.94 $1.94

27.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.94 $3.94

-15.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.70 $1.70

-15.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$32.36 $32.36

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.54 $1.54

-18.18%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.56%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.3K $27.3K

-4.48%

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

$193 $193

$137 $137

40.42%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$39.77 $39.77

71.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$62.2 $62.2

-1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.88 $39.88

35.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.89 $17.89

-0.84%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,330 $2,330

-29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.9K $23.9K

30.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$52.1 $52.1

26.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.73 $39.73

28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$76.2 $76.2

31.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$59.0 $59.0

138.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,791 $1,791

36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,309 $1,309

28.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,551 $2,551

84.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,270 $2,270

23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,730 $2,730

50.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,181 $2,181

21.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$6,395 $6,395

-23.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.69

1.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brentwood, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Brentwood, CA

$1.3K 50.2% 22% $368

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Brentwood, CA

$466 17.9% 3.8% $17

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Brentwood, CA

$395 15.2% 15.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Brentwood, CA

$239 9.2% 25.8% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Brentwood, CA

$102 3.9% 36.6% $59

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Brentwood, CA

$20 * 0.8% 78.7% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Brentwood, CA

$76 2.9% 15.6% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $1,791 in Brentwood, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood, CA pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $112 in Brentwood, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $466 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Brentwood, CA

🕒 Local time

03:10 3:10 AM

01:10 1:10 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

64,474

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Brentwood, CA 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Chicago, IL and Brentwood, CA differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $2,609 including rent). Brentwood, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Brentwood, CA. 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: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,791 in Brentwood, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,609 in Brentwood, CA – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Brentwood, 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.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Brentwood, 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 Brentwood, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.