Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,707 in Burbank, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 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
178

Cost of Living Index in Burbank, CA
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Burbank, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Burbank, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,707

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,707 in Burbank, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Burbank, CA $3,707

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,570 in Burbank, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Burbank, CA $3,570

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,432 in Burbank, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Burbank, CA $3,432

Chicago, IL is about 15% cheaper than Burbank, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Burbank, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Burbank, CA by 174%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$24.79 $24.79

-16.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$76.9 $76.9

17.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$14.71 $14.71

-12.03%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.83 $5.83

-3.95%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.64 $3.64

-27.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.69 $2.69

-15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.90 $7.90

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$10.19 $10.19

-13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.30 $1.30

-2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$5.04 $5.04

-24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.53 $4.53

17.00%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.58 $5.58

-14.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$15.21 $15.21

-8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$16.29 $16.29

-10.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.86 $19.86

-5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.12 $5.12

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.32 $2.32

-14.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.01 $4.01

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.52 $5.52

-10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.38 $3.38

-18.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.93 $2.93

-5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.18 $2.18

1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.70 $2.70

10.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.69 $11.69

19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.72 $14.72

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.42 $2.42

6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.66 $2.66

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.77 $1.77

39.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.04 $3.04

9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.81 $1.81

-20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$31.64 $31.64

-23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.51 $1.51

-16.56%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.4K $29.4K

19.25%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.05%

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

$193 $193

$219 $219

-12.20%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$76.6 $76.6

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$74.1 $74.1

-17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$130 $130

-58.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$19.68 $19.68

-9.86%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,645 $1,645

0.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$32.4K $32.4K

-4.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$63.0 $63.0

4.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.11 $47.11

8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$104 $104

-3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$104 $104

34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$3,192 $3,192

-23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,130 $2,130

-21.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,419 $5,419

-10.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.31

7.92%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Burbank, 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%

Burbank, CA

$2.1K 57.5% 27% $453

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Burbank, CA

$478 12.9% 6.3% $28

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Burbank, CA

$398 10.7% 15.8% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Burbank, CA

$370 10% 14.9% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Burbank, CA

$143 3.9% 11.2% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Burbank, CA

$19 * 0.5% 79.9% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Burbank, CA

$169 4.6% 88.8% $80

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $3,192 in Burbank, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Burbank, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $77.0 in Burbank, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $478 in Burbank, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Burbank, CA

🕒 Local time

09:17 9:17 AM

07:17 7:17 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

103,340

💱 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 Burbank, CA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Burbank, CA costs about 18% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,561 in Burbank, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,707 in Burbank, CA. That's a gap of about 18%.

Kindergarten costs $1,652 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,645 in Burbank, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,707 in Burbank, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,139 versus $3,707 in Burbank, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burbank, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.