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: $3,184 in Chicago, IL versus $2,614 in Cathedral City, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,725 in Chicago, IL versus $3,794 in Cathedral City, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,266 in Chicago, IL versus $4,975 in Cathedral City, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 22% more expensive than in Cathedral City, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 131% above, Cathedral City, CA 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$18.69 $18.69

8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 $88.8

$74.0 $74.0

19.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$11.18 $11.18

17.71%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$5.23 $5.23

10.33%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.49 $2.49

5.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.02 $2.02

15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.13 $6.13

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$6.88 $6.88

33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.04 $1.04

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.55 $3.55

14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$4.24 $4.24

34.20%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$4.25 $4.25

14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.08 $12.08

24.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.38 $11.38

30.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.28 $19.28

$15.21 $15.21

26.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$4.77 $4.77

19.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.56 $1.56

23.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.36 $4.36

-5.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.79 $4.79

6.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.87 $2.87

1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.90 $2.90

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.11 $2.11

9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.18 $2.18

39.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.93 $15.93

$9.55 $9.55

66.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.17 $14.17

6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.86 $1.86

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.45 $3.45

0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.96 $1.96

29.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.43 $3.43

-4.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.66 $1.66

-18.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.55 $22.55

$29.68 $29.68

-24.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.88 $0.88

38.64%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$29.9K $29.9K

20.79%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

2.47%

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

$188 $188

$189 $189

-0.38%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$53.5 $53.5

28.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$67.7 $67.7

-6.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 $63.4

$42.25 $42.25

50.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.11 $27.11

Cinema Ticket

$17.90 $17.90

$13.76 $13.76

30.09%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$1,322 $1,322

15.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.5K $23.5K

35.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$51.5 $51.5

20.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$40.29 $40.29

39.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$85.7 $85.7

17.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$114 $114

37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$1,628 $1,628

43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$1,344 $1,344

26.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,576 $4,576

$2,591 $2,591

76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$2,218 $2,218

26.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,130 $4,130

$2,731 $2,731

51.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$2,425 $2,425

12.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,891 $4,891

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.51

-2.00%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cathedral City, CA: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,342 in Chicago, IL and $1,628 in Cathedral City, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89.0 in Chicago, IL vs $74.0 in Cathedral City, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $465 vs $387 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 22% in total monthly costs ($3,184 vs $2,614 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 $4,776 in Chicago, IL and $3,921 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: $2,342 in Chicago, IL versus $1,628 in Cathedral City, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,322 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 $74.0 versus $89.0 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 22% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.