Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Gonzales, LA

For one person, living is cheaper in Gonzales, LA: $2,784 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Gonzales, LA
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Gonzales, LA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Gonzales, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,784

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Gonzales, LA

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 Gonzales, LA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,784 in Gonzales, LA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Gonzales, LA $2,784

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,993 in Gonzales, LA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Gonzales, LA $3,993

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,202 in Gonzales, LA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Gonzales, LA $5,202

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Gonzales, LA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Gonzales, LA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Gonzales, LA by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.79 $19.79

3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$75.1 $75.1

17.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.42 $11.42

12.52%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.44 $5.44

6.25%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.72 $2.72

0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.05 $2.05

10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.93 $5.93

16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.08 $7.08

30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.06 $1.06

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.49 $3.49

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.29 $4.29

25.41%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.15 $4.15

9.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.54 $12.54

8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.77 $11.77

19.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.60 $16.60

8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.17 $5.17

-0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.60 $1.60

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.43 $4.43

-12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.79 $4.79

0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.85 $2.85

-1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.88 $2.88

-7.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.18 $2.18

-5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.27 $2.27

33.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.80 $9.80

41.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.95 $14.95

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.99 $1.99

32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.48 $3.48

-0.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.28 $2.28

6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$65.5 $65.5

14.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.84 $3.84

-17.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.91 $1.91

-10.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$29.72 $29.72

-16.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.96 $0.96

33.33%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

25.60%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.54%

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

$192 $192

$199 $199

-3.61%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$57.4 $57.4

21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$68.9 $68.9

-9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.47 $39.47

21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.81 $13.81

29.11%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,378 $1,378

31.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.9K $20.9K

94.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$53.4 $53.4

23.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$40.96 $40.96

25.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.3 $88.3

17.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$115 $115

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,401 $1,401

80.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,449 $1,449

11.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,587 $2,587

86.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,268 $2,268

20.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,016 $3,016

38.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,304 $2,304

18.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$2,974 $2,974

65.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Gonzales, LA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Gonzales, LA

$1.4K 52% 10.6% $172

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Gonzales, LA

$400 14.4% 9% $40

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Gonzales, LA

$321 11.5% 6.8% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Gonzales, LA

$326 11.7% 0.5% $1.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Gonzales, LA

$134 4.8% 18.2% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Gonzales, LA

$88 3.2% 8.9% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Gonzales, LA

$67 2.4% 19.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,401 in Gonzales, LA. 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 66% 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 $75 in Gonzales, LA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $400 – making Gonzales, LA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gonzales, LA

🕒 Local time

06:30 6:30 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Gonzales, LA 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Gonzales, LA

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 Gonzales, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,784 in Gonzales, LA – Gonzales, LA comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,175 in Gonzales, LA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gonzales, LA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,401 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Gonzales, LA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,784 in Gonzales, LA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Gonzales, LA – 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 Gonzales, LA. 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.