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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,084 in Chicago, IL versus $2,734 in Chester, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,637 in Chicago, IL versus $3,899 in Chester, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,191 in Chicago, IL versus $5,064 in Chester, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 13% more expensive than in Chester, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 131% above, Chester, CA 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 $20.81

$14.93 $14.93

39.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$55.7 $55.7

76.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$10.47 $10.47

13.66%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$5.37 $5.37

8.75%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.98 $1.98

55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.48 $1.48

58.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.10 $5.10

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$6.60 $6.60

22.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.22 $1.22

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.36 $4.36

-8.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.51 $5.51

1.63%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.66 $4.66

-2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$15.39 $15.39

-7.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 $14.90

$15.23 $15.23

-2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 $19.08

$18.98 $18.98

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$5.41 $5.41

-1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.09 $2.09

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.97 $3.97

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.97 $6.97

-37.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.62 $3.62

-29.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.89 $4.89

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.69 $2.69

-8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.39 $2.39

12.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 $14.95

$9.23 $9.23

61.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$15.74 $15.74

-6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.05 $2.05

15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.87 $2.87

24.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.02 $2.02

20.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 $75.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.02 $4.02

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.88 $1.88

-27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.29 $25.29

$27.71 $27.71

-8.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.04 $1.04

4.81%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$29.8K $29.8K

8.38%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.8K $27.8K

-4.95%

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

$188 $188

$246 $246

-23.47%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$60.1 $60.1

5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$73.6 $73.6

-10.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$42.48 $42.48

77.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 $13.20

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$14.03 $14.03

5.49%

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

$2,097 $2,097

$1,731 $1,731

21.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$28.2K $28.2K

36.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 $64.9

$60.7 $60.7

6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$63.5 $63.5

-18.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$93.5 $93.5

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$125 $125

17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,632 $1,632

42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$1,348 $1,348

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,775 $4,775

$2,656 $2,656

79.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 $2,725

$2,200 $2,200

23.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,023 $4,023

$3,105 $3,105

29.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,684 $2,684

$2,680 $2,680

0.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,981 $4,981

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.5

1.54%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chester, CA: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Chicago, IL and $1,632 in Chester, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Chicago, IL vs $56.0 in Chester, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $445 vs $474, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chester, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chester, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chester, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,626 in Chicago, IL and $4,101 in Chester, 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 $1,632 in Chester, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,084 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,734 in Chester, CA – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Chester, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chester, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,734 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chester, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chester, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.