Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Highland, CA: $2,866 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Highland, CA
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Highland, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Highland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,866

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,866 in Highland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Highland, CA $2,866

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,109 in Highland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Highland, CA $4,109

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,352 in Highland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Highland, CA $5,352

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Highland, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Highland, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Highland, CA by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$25.43 $25.43

-19.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$78.5 $78.5

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.77 $14.77

-13.00%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.61 $5.61

3.03%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.09 $3.09

-11.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.45 $2.45

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.11 $7.11

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$10.16 $10.16

-9.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.28 $1.28

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.85 $4.85

-26.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.84 $4.84

11.16%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.48 $5.48

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.81 $10.81

26.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.63 $8.63

63.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.74 $19.74

-8.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.78 $4.78

7.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.21 $2.21

-10.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.01 $4.01

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.32 $5.32

-9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.25 $3.25

-13.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.79 $2.79

-4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.98 $1.98

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.65 $2.65

14.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.67 $11.67

19.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.06 $15.06

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.45 $2.45

7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.77 $2.77

24.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.9 $59.9

25.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.74 $3.74

-15.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.24 $2.24

-24.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$38.33 $38.33

-35.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.59 $1.59

-19.50%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.7K $28.7K

24.54%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.58%

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

$192 $192

$217 $217

-11.51%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$78.8 $78.8

-11.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$79.0 $79.0

-21.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.43 $39.43

21.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$18.72 $18.72

-4.75%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,201 $1,201

51.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$12.8K $12.8K

217.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$63.7 $63.7

3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.17 $47.17

8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$107 $107

-3.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$104 $104

37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,468 $1,468

72.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,374 $1,374

17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,785 $2,785

73.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,102 $2,102

30.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,804 $2,804

48.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,225 $2,225

22.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.31

7.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Highland, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Highland, CA

$1.4K 48% 15.2% $247

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Highland, CA

$420 14.7% 4.3% $19

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Highland, CA

$393 13.7% 14.3% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Highland, CA

$375 13.1% 15.7% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Highland, CA

$144 5% 11.7% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Highland, CA

$83 2.9% 14.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Highland, CA

$77 2.7% 7.9% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,468 in Highland, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Highland, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $420 – making Highland, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Highland, CA

🕒 Local time

20:03 8:03 PM

18:03 6:03 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

51,550

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Highland, CA 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,866 in Highland, CA – Highland, CA comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,300 in Highland, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Highland, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,468 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Highland, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Highland, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Highland, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 7% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.