Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,395 in Fontana, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fontana, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
164

Cost of Living Index in Fontana, CA
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Fontana, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fontana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,395

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,395 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fontana, CA $3,395

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,018 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fontana, CA $5,018

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,640 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fontana, CA $6,640

Chicago, IL is about 11% cheaper than Fontana, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Fontana, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fontana, CA by 149%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.08 $20.08

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.8 $78.8

13.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.72 $14.72

-10.39%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.73 $5.73

-1.22%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.40 $3.40

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.47 $2.47

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.28 $7.28

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.61 $9.61

-8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.05 $1.05

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.13 $4.13

-9.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.72 $4.72

14.19%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.06 $5.06

-6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.11 $13.11

5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.87 $8.87

62.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.70 $15.70

17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.71 $4.71

10.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.17 $2.17

-8.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.91 $3.91

3.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.45 $5.45

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.76 $3.76

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.21 $2.21

20.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.01 $2.01

11.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.91 $1.91

63.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.72 $11.72

17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.27 $15.27

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.02 $2.02

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.07 $4.07

-13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.43 $45.43

61.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$6.12 $6.12

-48.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.53 $1.53

-21.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.3K $28.3K

23.86%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.58%

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

$194 $194

$221 $221

-12.17%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$79.0 $79.0

-12.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.0 $60.0

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.18 $15.18

17.33%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,195 $1,195

50.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$57.0 $57.0

17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.72 $40.72

28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$93.2 $93.2

8.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$103 $103

39.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,970 $1,970

28.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,071 $2,071

-23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,187 $3,187

48.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,737 $3,737

-27.94%

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

$4,906 $4,906

0.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.31

7.92%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fontana, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fontana, CA

$2.1K 61% 31.3% $493

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fontana, CA

$397 11.7% 11.3% $51

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fontana, CA

$353 10.4% 2.3% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fontana, CA

$360 10.6% 10.7% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fontana, CA

$132 3.9% 19.3% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fontana, CA

$52 * 1.5% 44.8% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fontana, CA

$30 * 0.9% 63.6% $53

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 $1,970 in Fontana, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Fontana, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $397 – making Fontana, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fontana, CA

🕒 Local time

06:06 6:06 AM

04:06 4:06 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

210,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Fontana, CA 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,395 in Fontana, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,093 in Fontana, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fontana, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,970 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Fontana, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Fontana, 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 $3,395 in Fontana, 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 $3,395 in Fontana, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.