Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and California, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in California, MD: $2,590 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in California, MD
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California, MD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

California, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,590

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in California, MD

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 California, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,590 in California, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
California, MD $2,590

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,729 in California, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
California, MD $3,729

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,867 in California, MD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
California, MD $4,867

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than California, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and California, MD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, California, MD by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.39 $25.39

-18.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.0 $76.0

17.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.01 $10.01

31.77%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.05 $6.05

-6.45%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.81 $2.81

-6.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.44 $2.44

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.03 $5.03

36.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.01 $8.01

10.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.93 $3.93

-5.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.17 $2.17

148.39%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.90 $3.90

21.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.56 $11.56

19.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.46 $14.46

-0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.17 $13.17

39.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.29 $4.29

21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.16 $2.16

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.48 $4.48

-9.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.48 $6.48

-23.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.50 $4.50

-40.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.08 $4.08

-34.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.97 $1.97

58.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.79 $8.79

57.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.83 $13.83

7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.69 $1.69

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.77 $4.77

-26.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.14 $2.14

13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$82.5 $82.5

-10.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.95 $2.95

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.49 $1.49

-6.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$22.83 $22.83

9.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.7K $32.7K

7.06%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.5K $23.5K

13.37%

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

$194 $194

$98.1 $98.1

98.25%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$41.45 $41.45

67.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$61.9 $61.9

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.56 $39.56

21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$11.02 $11.02

148.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.68 $17.68

0.74%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,937 $1,937

-7.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.6K $32.6K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.7 $52.7

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.01 $47.01

10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$87.5 $87.5

15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$107 $107

34.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,721 $1,721

46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,308 $1,308

20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,818 $1,818

160.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,891 $1,891

42.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$6,900 $6,900

-39.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$6,215 $6,215

-55.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,967 $6,967

-29.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.4

6.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for California, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

California, MD

$1.3K 50.5% 17.1% $270

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

California, MD

$404 15.6% 9.7% $43

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

California, MD

$368 14.2% 6.7% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

California, MD

$201 7.8% 38.1% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

California, MD

$133 5.1% 19.2% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

California, MD

$101 3.9% 8.7% $8.1

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

California, MD

$75 2.9% 10.3% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,721 in California, MD. 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 41% higher in California, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in California, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $404 – making California, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 California, MD

🕒 Local time

08:32 8:32 AM

09:32 9:32 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

13,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL California, MD 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
California, MD

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 California, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,886 in California, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in California, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,721 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in California, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,590 in California, MD. 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 $2,590 in California, MD to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.