Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,331 in Cupertino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cupertino, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
162

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
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Cupertino, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,331

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,331 in Cupertino, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Cupertino, CA $3,331

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,299 in Cupertino, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Cupertino, CA $5,299

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,267 in Cupertino, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Cupertino, CA $7,267

Chicago, IL is about 9% cheaper than Cupertino, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Cupertino, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Cupertino, CA by 145%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.52 $24.52

-15.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.1 $50.1

78.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.97 $9.97

32.30%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.03 $6.03

-6.14%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.56 $2.56

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.19 $2.19

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.82 $6.82

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.85 $7.85

12.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.28 $1.28

-2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.40 $3.40

9.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.28 $4.28

25.93%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.10 $5.10

-7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$6.78 $6.78

104.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.15 $13.15

9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.40 $13.40

37.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.86 $3.86

35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.14 $2.14

89.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.80 $2.80

77.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.46 $2.46

8.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.03 $3.03

-12.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.47 $2.47

-9.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$0.99 $0.99

216.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.70 $11.70

18.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.99 $12.99

14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.90 $1.90

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.90 $1.90

84.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.05 $3.05

-20.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$138 $138

-46.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.26 $4.26

-25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.99 $1.99

-30.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.85 $29.85

-16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.47 $1.47

-18.37%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.7K $28.7K

22.07%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.48%

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

$194 $194

$250 $250

-22.32%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$61.2 $61.2

13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.7 $66.7

-7.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.35 $35.35

35.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.74 $15.74

13.15%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,120 $2,120

-15.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.0K $25.0K

27.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$57.4 $57.4

16.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.22 $35.22

48.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.6 $88.6

14.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$58.6 $58.6

145.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,594 $2,594

-2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,906 $1,906

-17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$5,018 $5,018

-5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$4,331 $4,331

-37.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,384 $7,384

-33.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.53

4.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cupertino, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.2% 20.8% $327

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Cupertino, CA

$340 10.2% 23.9% $107

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Cupertino, CA

$367 11% 6.5% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Cupertino, CA

$378 11.4% 16.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.2% 34.2% $56

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Cupertino, CA

$165 4.9% 76.2% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Cupertino, CA

$67 2% 20% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,594 in Cupertino, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Cupertino, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $50 in Cupertino, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $340 – making Cupertino, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🕒 Local time

23:15 11:15 PM

21:15 9:15 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

58,302

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Cupertino, CA 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,331 in Cupertino, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,996 in Cupertino, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,594 in Cupertino, CA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Cupertino, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $50 in Cupertino, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,331 in Cupertino, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cupertino, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.