Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Lompoc, CA: $3,037 and $2,984 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Lompoc, CA
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Lompoc, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lompoc, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,984

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,984 in Lompoc, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lompoc, CA $2,984

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,212 in Lompoc, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lompoc, CA $4,212

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,439 in Lompoc, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lompoc, CA $5,439

Chicago, IL and Lompoc, CA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Lompoc, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lompoc, CA by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.59 $24.59

-15.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$101 $101

-11.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.27 $11.27

17.04%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.83 $5.83

-2.92%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.83 $2.83

-6.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.03 $2.03

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.91 $7.91

-13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.51 $9.51

-7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.83 $2.83

31.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.37 $4.37

23.34%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.05 $4.05

17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.57 $12.57

10.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$20.62 $20.62

-30.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.82 $13.82

33.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.58 $5.58

-6.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.79 $1.79

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.24 $4.24

-4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.47 $6.47

-23.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.60 $3.60

-25.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.54 $3.54

-24.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.99 $0.99

126.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.19 $2.19

42.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.60 $11.60

19.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.91 $14.91

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.26 $3.26

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.46 $4.46

-28.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.84 $1.84

-24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$35.64 $35.64

-29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.32 $1.32

-9.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

28.59%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.59%

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

$194 $194

$216 $216

-9.88%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$70.6 $70.6

-1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.4 $70.4

-12.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$25.35 $25.35

88.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.02 $12.02

48.17%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,873 $1,873

-4.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$42.0K $42.0K

-23.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$74.5 $74.5

-10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.99 $40.99

27.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$80.4 $80.4

26.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$172 $172

-16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,857 $1,857

36.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,586 $1,586

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,041 $3,041

55.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,236 $2,236

20.43%

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

$7,913 $7,913

-37.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.2

9.84%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lompoc, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lompoc, CA

$1.6K 53.1% 0.5% $7.9

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lompoc, CA

$435 14.6% 2.8% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lompoc, CA

$378 12.7% 9.7% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lompoc, CA

$357 12% 9.6% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lompoc, CA

$165 5.5% 0.8% $1.4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lompoc, CA

$14 * 0.5% 85.3% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lompoc, CA

$49 1.7% 40.9% $34

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 $1,857 in Lompoc, 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 60% higher in Lompoc, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Lompoc, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $435 in Lompoc, CA – so Lompoc, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lompoc, CA

🕒 Local time

23:20 11:20 PM

21:20 9:20 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

43,509

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

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,477 in Lompoc, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lompoc, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,857 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,873 in Lompoc, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,984 in Lompoc, CA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.