Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cathedral City, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cathedral City, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,084 in Chicago, IL versus $2,609 in Cathedral City, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,637 in Chicago, IL versus $3,820 in Cathedral City, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,191 in Chicago, IL versus $5,031 in Cathedral City, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 18% more expensive than in Cathedral City, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 131% above, Cathedral City, CA 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 $20.81

$19.37 $19.37

7.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$74.8 $74.8

31.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$10.88 $10.88

9.37%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$5.22 $5.22

11.88%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.51 $2.51

22.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.98 $1.98

18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.08 $6.08

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$6.94 $6.94

16.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.01 $1.01

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.47 $3.47

14.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$4.41 $4.41

26.98%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.12 $4.12

10.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$12.13 $12.13

17.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 $14.90

$11.64 $11.64

28.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 $19.08

$15.22 $15.22

25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$4.84 $4.84

9.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.64 $1.64

4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.34 $4.34

-2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.63 $4.63

-5.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.91 $2.91

-12.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.85 $2.85

-1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.12 $2.12

16.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.09 $2.09

29.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 $14.95

$9.73 $9.73

53.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$13.91 $13.91

5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.83 $1.83

29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.32 $3.32

7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.94 $1.94

25.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 $75.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.42 $3.42

-2.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.58 $1.58

-13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.29 $25.29

$28.99 $28.99

-12.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.84 $0.84

29.76%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$29.8K $29.8K

8.28%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.15%

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

$188 $188

$189 $189

-0.43%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$52.9 $52.9

19.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$67.6 $67.6

-2.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$42.16 $42.16

79.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 $13.20

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$13.35 $13.35

10.86%

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

$2,097 $2,097

$1,293 $1,293

62.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$23.7K $23.7K

62.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 $64.9

$51.2 $51.2

26.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$39.76 $39.76

29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$85.2 $85.2

12.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$110 $110

32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,594 $1,594

46.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$1,380 $1,380

14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,775 $4,775

$2,638 $2,638

81.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 $2,725

$2,252 $2,252

21.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,023 $4,023

$2,725 $2,725

47.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,684 $2,684

$2,452 $2,452

9.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,981 $4,981

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 20, 2026

Last update for Cathedral City, CA: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Chicago, IL and $1,594 in Cathedral City, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Chicago, IL vs $75.0 in Cathedral City, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $385 per month, with Cathedral City, 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 Cathedral City, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Cathedral City, CA differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($3,084 vs $2,609 including rent). Cathedral City, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,626 in Chicago, IL and $3,914 in Cathedral City, CA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,332 in Chicago, IL versus $1,594 in Cathedral City, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,097 in Chicago, IL versus $1,293 in Cathedral City, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cathedral City, CA – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $99.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Cathedral City, 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 Cathedral City, 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 Cathedral City, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.