Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Modesto, CA: $2,708 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Modesto, CA
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Modesto, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Modesto, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,708

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,708 in Modesto, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Modesto, CA $2,708

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,910 in Modesto, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Modesto, CA $3,910

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,112 in Modesto, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Modesto, CA $5,112

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Modesto, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Modesto, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Modesto, CA by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.19 $15.19

36.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.2 $79.2

12.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.88 $8.88

48.54%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.39 $5.39

5.01%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.61 $2.61

1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.58 $1.58

44.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.07 $5.07

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.12 $7.12

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.05 $1.05

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.65 $3.65

1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.09 $4.09

31.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.54 $5.54

-14.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.89 $12.89

7.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.35 $13.35

7.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.65 $19.65

-6.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.38 $5.38

-2.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.01 $2.01

-1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.54 $5.54

-26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.46 $5.46

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.53 $3.53

-24.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.93 $2.93

-9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.43 $2.43

-7.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.55 $2.55

22.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.56 $11.56

19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.25 $15.25

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.88 $1.88

35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.33 $3.33

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$40.49 $40.49

81.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.43 $3.43

-7.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.05 $3.05

-54.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.56 $30.56

-18.10%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

-5.10%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.05%

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

$194 $194

$257 $257

-24.35%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$48.45 $48.45

43.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.6 $68.6

-10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$37.85 $37.85

26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$14.77 $14.77

85.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.21 $11.21

58.88%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,836 $1,836

-2.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-21.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.86 $47.86

40.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.21 $39.21

32.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$95.1 $95.1

6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,302 $1,302

94.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,359 $1,359

16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,824 $1,824

159.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,155 $2,155

24.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,619 $3,619

15.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,962 $2,962

-6.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,071 $4,071

21.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.1

11.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Modesto, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Modesto, CA

$1.4K 50.2% 13.9% $219

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Modesto, CA

$442 16.3% 1.3% $5.7

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Modesto, CA

$269 9.9% 22% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Modesto, CA

$374 13.8% 14.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Modesto, CA

$136 5% 16.8% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Modesto, CA

$67 2.5% 28.3% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Modesto, CA

$60 2.2% 27.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,302 in Modesto, 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 21% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Modesto, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $442 – making Modesto, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Modesto, CA

🕒 Local time

06:27 6:27 AM

04:27 4:27 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

211,266

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Modesto, CA 2,870 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,708 in Modesto, CA – Modesto, CA comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,062 in Modesto, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Modesto, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,302 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

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

Public transport costs about 45% less in Modesto, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,708 in Modesto, 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 $2,708 in Modesto, CA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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