Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fresno, CA: $2,811 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Fresno, CA
Learn more

Fresno, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,811

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,811 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fresno, CA $2,811

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,028 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fresno, CA $4,028

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,244 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fresno, CA $5,244

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Fresno, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Fresno, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fresno, CA by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.74 $19.74

4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$71.0 $71.0

25.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.89 $13.89

-5.04%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.05 $5.05

12.08%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.92 $2.92

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.10 $2.10

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.02 $7.02

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.12 $9.12

-3.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.12 $1.12

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.69 $2.69

38.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.70 $4.70

14.68%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.47 $5.47

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.97 $10.97

26.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.73 $9.73

48.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.57 $15.57

18.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.09 $5.09

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.45 $4.45

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.39 $3.39

46.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$7.91 $7.91

-66.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.72 $2.72

-2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.33 $2.33

-3.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.99 $2.99

4.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.69 $11.69

18.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$17.73 $17.73

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.20 $2.20

15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$6.56 $6.56

-46.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.98 $0.98

147.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$44.47 $44.47

65.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.24 $4.24

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.53 $1.53

-9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$27.17 $27.17

-7.88%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

27.90%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.7K $27.7K

-3.84%

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

$194 $194

$237 $237

-18.11%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$52.6 $52.6

32.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$77.1 $77.1

-20.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$33.14 $33.14

44.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$42.19 $42.19

-35.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.41 $17.41

2.30%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,191 $1,191

50.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$13.0K $13.0K

145.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$60.2 $60.2

11.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.07 $43.07

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$95.0 $95.0

6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$172 $172

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,568 $1,568

61.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,403 $1,403

12.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,181 $2,181

117.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,195 $2,195

22.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,602 $2,602

61.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,070 $3,070

-9.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,818 $3,818

29.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.4

6.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fresno, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fresno, CA

$1.4K 49.9% 11.1% $175

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fresno, CA

$413 14.7% 7.7% $35

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fresno, CA

$334 11.9% 3.3% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fresno, CA

$367 13.1% 12.8% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fresno, CA

$166 5.9% 1.5% $2.4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fresno, CA

$60 2.1% 35.5% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fresno, CA

$68 2.4% 18.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,568 in Fresno, 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 29% 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 $71 in Fresno, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $413 – making Fresno, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fresno, CA

🕒 Local time

08:30 8:30 AM

06:30 6:30 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

520,052

💱 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 Fresno, CA 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,811 in Fresno, CA – Fresno, CA comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,217 in Fresno, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fresno, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $71 in Fresno, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,811 in Fresno, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fresno, CA – 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 Fresno, CA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.