Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Cerritos, CA: $3,139 and $3,092 a month, rent and utilities included.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
151

Cost of Living Index in Cerritos, CA
Learn more

Cerritos, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Cerritos, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,092

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,092 in Cerritos, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Cerritos, CA $3,092

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,252 in Cerritos, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Cerritos, CA $3,252

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,413 in Cerritos, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Cerritos, CA $3,413

Chicago, IL costs about 2% more than Cerritos, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Cerritos, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Cerritos, CA by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.09 $25.09

-17.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$102 $102

-11.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$15.89 $15.89

-18.57%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.58 $5.58

0.36%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.20 $3.20

-17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.79 $2.79

-18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.91 $7.91

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.82 $9.82

-10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.28 $1.28

-0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.92 $4.92

-22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.64 $4.64

14.22%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.61 $5.61

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.68 $11.68

19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.73 $8.73

67.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.88 $19.88

-5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.83 $4.83

7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.41 $2.41

-17.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.31 $4.31

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.72 $5.72

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.35 $3.35

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.78 $2.78

-0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.98 $1.98

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.49 $2.49

19.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.95 $11.95

17.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.84 $14.84

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.44 $2.44

5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.77 $2.77

26.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.11 $3.11

7.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.80 $1.80

-20.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$31.88 $31.88

-23.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.55 $1.55

-18.71%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

22.66%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

-3.11%

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

$193 $193

$215 $215

-10.18%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$76.8 $76.8

-11.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$81.1 $81.1

-24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$120 $120

-54.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$19.89 $19.89

-10.81%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,179 $1,179

40.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$32.1K $32.1K

-3.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$62.8 $62.8

5.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.61 $47.61

7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$115 $115

-12.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$102 $102

37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,989 $1,989

22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,576 $1,576

6.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,540 $3,540

33.25%

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

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 Cerritos, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Cerritos, CA

$1.6K 51% 6.1% $102

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Cerritos, CA

$427 13.8% 5.1% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Cerritos, CA

$399 12.9% 16% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Cerritos, CA

$372 12% 15.6% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Cerritos, CA

$147 4.8% 8.6% $14

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Cerritos, CA

$12 * 0.4% 87.3% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Cerritos, CA

$160 5.2% 78.2% $70

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 $1,989 in Cerritos, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $102 in Cerritos, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $427 in Cerritos, CA – so Cerritos, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Cerritos, CA

🕒 Local time

16:52 4:52 PM

14:52 2:52 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

49,041

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Cerritos, CA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,092 in Cerritos, CA – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,638 in Cerritos, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $102 in Cerritos, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,092 in Cerritos, CA. 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 $3,092 in Cerritos, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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