Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,293 in Glendale, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Glendale, CA
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Glendale, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Glendale, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,293

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,293 in Glendale, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Glendale, CA $3,293

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,921 in Glendale, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Glendale, CA $4,921

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,548 in Glendale, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Glendale, CA $6,548

Chicago, IL is about 8% cheaper than Glendale, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Glendale, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Glendale, CA by 142%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.54 $24.54

-15.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.9 $78.9

13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.74 $14.74

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.94 $5.94

-4.71%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.17 $3.17

-16.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.31 $2.31

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.22 $7.22

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.81 $9.81

-9.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.40 $1.40

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.94 $4.94

-24.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.66 $4.66

15.67%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.47 $5.47

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.44 $11.44

20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.77 $8.77

64.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$20.00 $20.00

-8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.83 $4.83

8.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.33 $2.33

-15.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.98 $3.98

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.60 $5.60

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.37 $3.37

-20.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.87 $2.87

-7.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.00 $2.00

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.47 $2.47

26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.01 $12.01

15.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.06 $15.06

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.42 $2.42

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.66 $2.66

31.95%

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

$62.6 $62.6

17.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.91 $1.91

-27.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.68 $32.68

-23.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.63 $1.63

-26.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

20.08%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.94%

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

$194 $194

$214 $214

-9.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$77.9 $77.9

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.8 $73.8

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$14.95 $14.95

220.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$18.55 $18.55

-3.99%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,195 $1,195

50.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.8K $32.8K

-2.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$62.8 $62.8

6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.22 $47.22

10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$120 $120

-15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$198 $198

-27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,987 $2,987

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,789 $1,789

-11.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,867 $4,867

-2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,253 $3,253

-17.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,875 $2,875

45.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,351 $2,351

17.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,154 $5,154

-4.34%

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 Glendale, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Glendale, CA

$1.8K 54.3% 13.4% $211

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Glendale, CA

$425 12.9% 4.9% $22

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Glendale, CA

$389 11.8% 12.9% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Glendale, CA

$366 11.1% 12.3% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Glendale, CA

$193 5.9% 17.6% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Glendale, CA

$79 2.4% 15.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Glendale, CA

$52 1.6% 37.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,987 in Glendale, 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 5% higher in Glendale, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Glendale, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $425 – making Glendale, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Glendale, CA

🕒 Local time

23:47 11:47 PM

21:47 9:47 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

200,831

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,293 in Glendale, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,940 in Glendale, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $2,987 in Glendale, CA.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Glendale, 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 Glendale, 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 $3,293 in Glendale, 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 $3,293 in Glendale, 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, Glendale, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.