Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Merced, CA: $2,521 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Merced, CA
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Merced, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Merced, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,521

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,521 in Merced, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Merced, CA $2,521

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,689 in Merced, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Merced, CA $3,689

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,858 in Merced, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Merced, CA $4,858

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than Merced, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Merced, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Merced, CA by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.22 $17.22

19.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$39.63 $39.63

127.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.13 $12.13

6.68%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.88 $5.88

-4.76%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.43 $2.43

8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.48 $1.48

53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$9.22 $9.22

-24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.94 $9.94

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.20 $1.20

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.34 $4.34

-12.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.23 $4.23

25.30%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.81 $5.81

-18.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$19.44 $19.44

-28.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.09 $14.09

3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.23 $22.23

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.38 $4.38

18.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.92 $1.92

3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.32 $5.32

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.59 $5.59

-11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.64 $3.64

-24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.99 $2.99

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.39 $2.39

-7.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.47 $2.47

20.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.58 $11.58

21.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.61 $15.61

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.45 $2.45

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.31 $3.31

5.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.54 $1.54

60.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$59.7 $59.7

25.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.06 $3.06

9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.67 $1.67

-14.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$26.61 $26.61

-8.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.31 $1.31

-3.82%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$37.6K $37.6K

-6.80%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.77%

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

$193 $193

$241 $241

-20.11%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$30.35 $30.35

124.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$83.6 $83.6

-26.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$33.29 $33.29

62.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$14.07 $14.07

98.44%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.43 $16.43

7.97%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,793 $1,793

-7.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$39.2K $39.2K

-20.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$60.7 $60.7

8.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$51.0 $51.0

0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$121 $121

16.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,626 $1,626

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,066 $1,066

57.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,962 $1,962

140.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,880 $1,880

48.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,946 $2,946

39.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,901 $2,901

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,304 $3,304

47.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.36

7.08%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Merced, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Merced, CA

$1.1K 42.3% 36.5% $612

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Merced, CA

$480 19% 6.8% $30

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Merced, CA

$326 13% 5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Merced, CA

$355 14.1% 10.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Merced, CA

$150 6% 6.7% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Merced, CA

$77 3.1% 18.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Merced, CA

$66 2.6% 26.2% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,626 in Merced, 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 47% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $40.00 in Merced, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $480 in Merced, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Merced, CA

🕒 Local time

08:19 8:19 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

83,316

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Merced, CA 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,521 in Merced, CA – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,781 in Merced, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merced, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $40.00 in Merced, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,521 in Merced, 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 $2,521 in Merced, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Merced, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.