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: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $2,765 in Chester, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $3,936 in Chester, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $5,107 in Chester, CA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 10% more expensive than Chester, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Chester, CA 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$15.19 $15.19

36.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$54.5 $54.5

84.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.69 $10.69

10.94%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.46 $5.46

1.47%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.06 $2.06

48.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.52 $1.52

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$5.10 $5.10

35.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.57 $6.57

23.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.22 $1.22

-14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.31 $4.31

-9.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.45 $5.45

-0.55%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.64 $4.64

-3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$15.38 $15.38

-5.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$15.23 $15.23

-0.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$18.65 $18.65

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.14 $5.14

4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.99 $1.99

-15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.04 $4.04

6.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.78 $6.78

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.61 $3.61

-29.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$4.88 $4.88

-44.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.80 $2.80

-13.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.37 $2.37

10.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$9.20 $9.20

63.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.52 $15.52

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.13 $2.13

16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.96 $2.96

24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.06 $2.06

23.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.92 $3.92

-16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.84 $1.84

-22.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$28.07 $28.07

-11.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.03 $1.03

5.83%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$29.7K $29.7K

6.99%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$28.7K $28.7K

-7.96%

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

$183 $183

$254 $254

-27.95%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$59.7 $59.7

3.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$75.1 $75.1

-13.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$43.18 $43.18

76.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$14.25 $14.25

3.51%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$1,701 $1,701

20.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$27.4K $27.4K

40.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$58.8 $58.8

8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$63.0 $63.0

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$93.3 $93.3

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$126 $126

16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$1,611 $1,611

45.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,327 $1,327

19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$2,681 $2,681

75.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$2,257 $2,257

20.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

$2,332 $2,332

70.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,683 $2,683

-1.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chester, CA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $1,611 in Chester, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $54 in Chester, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $469, 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 10% 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 $4,577 in Chicago, IL and $4,147 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: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $1,611 in Chester, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,051 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,765 in Chester, CA – a 10% 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 $2,765 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 10% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.