Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and El Cerrito, CA

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in El Cerrito, CA: $3,037 and $3,038 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
148

Cost of Living Index in El Cerrito, CA
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El Cerrito, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

El Cerrito, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,038

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,038 in El Cerrito, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
El Cerrito, CA $3,038

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,549 in El Cerrito, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
El Cerrito, CA $4,549

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,060 in El Cerrito, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
El Cerrito, CA $6,060

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.55 $24.55

-15.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$111 $111

-19.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$15.21 $15.21

-13.28%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.74 $5.74

-1.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.02 $3.02

-12.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.54 $2.54

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.15 $8.15

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.22 $8.22

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.46 $1.46

-14.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.29 $4.29

-13.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.81 $4.81

12.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.15 $5.15

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.02 $16.02

-13.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.91 $11.91

20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.39 $13.39

37.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.43 $5.43

-3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.73 $2.73

-27.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.28 $4.28

-5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.03 $6.03

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.37 $3.37

-20.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.62 $3.62

-26.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.88 $2.88

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.62 $2.62

19.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.90 $11.90

16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.78 $12.78

16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.09 $2.09

21.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.49 $2.49

40.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.5 $60.5

21.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.92 $3.92

-18.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.05 $2.05

-32.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$38.49 $38.49

-34.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.55 $1.55

-22.58%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

25.83%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.28%

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

$194 $194

$140 $140

39.27%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.2 $54.2

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.8 $75.8

-18.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.60 $34.60

38.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$18.17 $18.17

-1.98%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,228 $2,228

-19.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.9K $23.9K

33.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.4 $52.4

27.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.36 $40.36

29.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$34.63 $34.63

193.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$60.7 $60.7

136.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,876 $1,876

34.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,703 $1,703

-7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,268 $3,268

45.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,890 $2,890

-6.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,942 $2,942

42.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,442 $2,442

13.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,714 $5,714

-13.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.69

1.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for El Cerrito, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

El Cerrito, CA

$1.7K 56.1% 7.9% $125

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

El Cerrito, CA

$437 14.4% 2.3% $10

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

El Cerrito, CA

$390 12.9% 13.2% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

El Cerrito, CA

$270 8.9% 17.2% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

El Cerrito, CA

$85 2.8% 48.4% $79

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

El Cerrito, CA

$82 2.7% 11.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

El Cerrito, CA

$71 2.3% 15.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,876 in El Cerrito, 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 16% higher in El Cerrito, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $111 in El Cerrito, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $437 in El Cerrito, CA – so El Cerrito, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 El Cerrito, CA

🕒 Local time

22:49 10:49 PM

20:49 8:49 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

25,508

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

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

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,557 in El Cerrito, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Cerrito, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,876 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,228 in El Cerrito, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in El Cerrito, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,038 in El Cerrito, 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 $3,038 in El Cerrito, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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