Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Downey, CA: $3,037 and $3,058 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Downey, CA
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Downey, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Downey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,058

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,058 in Downey, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Downey, CA $3,058

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,673 in Downey, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Downey, CA $4,673

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,289 in Downey, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Downey, CA $6,289

Chicago, IL and Downey, CA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Downey, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Downey, CA by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.21 $25.21

-17.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.0 $80.0

11.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.90 $14.90

-11.48%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.67 $5.67

-0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.04 $3.04

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.44 $2.44

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.37 $7.37

-6.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.34 $9.34

-5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.97 $3.97

-6.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.75 $4.75

13.47%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.87 $4.87

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.90 $12.90

7.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.01 $13.01

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.33 $15.33

19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.70 $4.70

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 $1.66

19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.11 $4.11

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.50 $5.50

-9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.74 $3.74

-28.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.05 $3.05

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.99 $1.99

12.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.22 $2.22

40.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.55 $11.55

19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.72 $14.72

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.00 $2.00

27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.12 $4.12

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$6.09 $6.09

-47.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.50 $1.50

-20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.8K $28.8K

21.68%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.91%

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

$194 $194

$169 $169

15.07%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.3 $68.3

1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.6 $72.6

-15.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.23 $35.23

35.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.33 $15.33

16.18%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,159 $1,159

54.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.0 $59.0

13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.13 $44.13

18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$93.3 $93.3

8.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$145 $145

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,989 $1,989

27.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,715 $1,715

-7.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,721 $3,721

27.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,279 $3,279

-17.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,713 $5,713

-26.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$5,622 $5,622

-50.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,281 $4,281

15.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Downey, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Downey, CA

$1.7K 56.1% 8.7% $137

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Downey, CA

$416 13.6% 7% $31

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Downey, CA

$392 12.8% 13.6% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Downey, CA

$310 10.1% 4.8% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Downey, CA

$153 5% 6.4% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Downey, CA

$6.1 * 0.2% 93.5% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Downey, CA

$66 2.2% 21.1% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,989 in Downey, 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 15% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $80 in Downey, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $416 – making Downey, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Downey, CA

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

04:47 4:47 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

114,355

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,587 in Downey, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Downey, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,989 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,159 in Downey, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Downey, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,058 in Downey, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,058 in Downey, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.