Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Hemet, CA: $3,037 and $3,056 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Hemet, CA
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Hemet, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Hemet, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,056

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,056 in Hemet, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Hemet, CA $3,056

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,603 in Hemet, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Hemet, CA $4,603

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,151 in Hemet, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Hemet, CA $6,151

Chicago, IL is about 1% cheaper than Hemet, CA.

Both Chicago, IL and Hemet, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Hemet, CA by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.69 $19.69

5.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.9 $80.9

10.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.09 $12.09

9.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.28 $6.28

-9.87%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.52 $3.52

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.31 $7.31

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.59 $9.59

-7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.97 $3.97

-6.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.25 $3.25

65.85%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.64 $4.64

2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.92 $12.92

7.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$20.59 $20.59

-30.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.55 $15.55

18.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.24 $3.24

61.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.52 $5.52

-26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.72 $5.72

-13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.37 $3.37

-20.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.25 $2.25

18.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.06 $2.06

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$0.98 $0.98

219.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.04 $11.04

25.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.97 $11.97

24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.91 $1.91

32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.13 $4.13

-15.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$7.12 $7.12

-65.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.93 $4.93

-35.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.16 $3.16

-56.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.21 $1.21

-0.83%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.7K $28.7K

22.09%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.45%

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

$194 $194

$168 $168

15.47%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$66.9 $66.9

3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$58.4 $58.4

5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$24.85 $24.85

10.02%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.83 $10.83

64.45%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,926 $1,926

-6.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$57.1 $57.1

17.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.53 $39.53

31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$92.1 $92.1

10.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$146 $146

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,964 $1,964

28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,769 $1,769

-10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,820 $3,820

24.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,186 $3,186

-15.47%

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

$3,622 $3,622

36.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hemet, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Hemet, CA

$1.8K 57.9% 12.1% $191

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Hemet, CA

$424 13.9% 5.3% $24

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Hemet, CA

$348 11.4% 1% $3.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Hemet, CA

$294 9.6% 9.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Hemet, CA

$151 4.9% 8.2% $13

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Hemet, CA

$49 * 1.6% 47.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Hemet, CA

$22 * 0.7% 74.1% $62

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 $1,964 in Hemet, 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 36% 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 $81 in Hemet, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $424 – making Hemet, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hemet, CA

🕒 Local time

13:41 1:41 PM

11:41 11:41 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

70,136

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Hemet, CA 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Hemet, CA costs about 1% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,584 in Hemet, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hemet, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,964 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in Hemet, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Hemet, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,056 in Hemet, 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 $3,056 in Hemet, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.