Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,434 in Hayward, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 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
166

Cost of Living Index in Hayward, CA
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Hayward, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Hayward, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,434

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,434 in Hayward, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Hayward, CA $3,434

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,718 in Hayward, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Hayward, CA $4,718

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,003 in Hayward, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Hayward, CA $6,003

Chicago, IL is about 12% cheaper than Hayward, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Hayward, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Hayward, CA by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.88 $19.88

4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.1 $76.1

17.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.57 $10.57

24.79%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.71 $4.71

20.17%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.13 $3.13

-15.65%

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

$6.03 $6.03

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.54 $7.54

17.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.30 $1.30

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.89 $1.89

96.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.84 $5.84

-7.71%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.09 $6.09

-22.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$26.45 $26.45

-47.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$7.49 $7.49

92.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$21.99 $21.99

-16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.12 $7.12

-26.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.56 $2.56

-22.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.23 $6.23

-34.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$10.21 $10.21

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.63 $3.63

-26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.72 $4.72

-43.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.53 $2.53

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.23 $3.23

-3.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.76 $11.76

17.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.93 $12.93

15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.80 $2.80

25.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.02 $3.02

-19.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$100.0 $100.0

-26.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.54 $3.54

-10.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.89 $1.89

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.22 $39.22

-36.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.43 $1.43

-16.08%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.41%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.53%

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

$194 $194

$179 $179

8.46%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$41.29 $41.29

68.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.8 $75.8

-18.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.37 $42.37

13.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.30 $15.30

16.41%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,253 $1,253

43.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-8.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.93 $49.93

34.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$70.9 $70.9

-26.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$74.8 $74.8

35.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$118 $118

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,264 $2,264

11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,986 $1,986

-20.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,446 $3,446

37.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,769 $2,769

-2.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$6,467 $6,467

-35.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$6,014 $6,014

-53.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,713 $4,713

4.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.15

10.73%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hayward, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Hayward, CA

$2K 57.8% 25.8% $408

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Hayward, CA

$499 14.5% 11.5% $51

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Hayward, CA

$314 9.2% 8.9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Hayward, CA

$296 8.6% 8.9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Hayward, CA

$141 4.1% 13.9% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Hayward, CA

$125 3.6% 33.9% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Hayward, CA

$73 2.1% 12.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,264 in Hayward, 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 Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Hayward, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $499 in Hayward, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hayward, CA

🕒 Local time

04:52 4:52 AM

02:52 2:52 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

159,203

💱 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 Hayward, CA 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,434 in Hayward, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 12% 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 $5,151 in Hayward, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hayward, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,264 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Hayward, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Hayward, 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 $3,434 in Hayward, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $3,434 in Hayward, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.