Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Monterey Park, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterey Park, CA: $2,869 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Monterey Park, CA
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Monterey Park, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monterey Park, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,869

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,869 in Monterey Park, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Monterey Park, CA $2,869

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,188 in Monterey Park, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Monterey Park, CA $4,188

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,507 in Monterey Park, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Monterey Park, CA $5,507

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Monterey Park, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Monterey Park, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Monterey Park, CA by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.99 $25.99

-20.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$80.3 $80.3

12.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$14.96 $14.96

-13.50%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.09 $6.09

-8.05%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.06 $3.06

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.66 $2.66

-14.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.85 $7.85

-11.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.94 $9.94

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.34 $1.34

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.89 $4.89

-22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.72 $4.72

12.29%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.60 $5.60

-15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.41 $11.41

22.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.91 $8.91

63.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.39 $19.39

-3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.60 $4.60

12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.23 $2.23

-11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.07 $4.07

-3.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.62 $5.62

-11.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.30 $3.30

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.88 $2.88

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.00 $2.00

11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.44 $2.44

22.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.80 $11.80

18.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.79 $14.79

3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.42 $2.42

6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.70 $2.70

29.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.23 $2.23

10.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.03 $3.03

10.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.88 $1.88

-23.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$32.72 $32.72

-25.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.49 $1.49

-15.44%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.4K $29.4K

19.06%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.19%

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

$193 $193

$269 $269

-28.41%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$87.3 $87.3

-21.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$80.1 $80.1

-23.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.12 $42.12

28.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$18.11 $18.11

-2.04%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,202 $1,202

37.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$32.4K $32.4K

-4.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$63.8 $63.8

3.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$54.3 $54.3

-5.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$120 $120

-16.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$214 $214

-34.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,602 $1,602

52.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,300 $1,300

29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,556 $2,556

84.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,133 $2,133

31.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,371 $2,371

73.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,221 $2,221

19.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$1,585 $1,585

206.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.31

7.92%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Monterey Park, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Monterey Park, CA

$1.3K 45.3% 22.5% $378

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Monterey Park, CA

$421 14.7% 6.3% $28

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Monterey Park, CA

$408 14.2% 18.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Monterey Park, CA

$437 15.2% 35.5% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Monterey Park, CA

$203 7.1% 26% $42

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Monterey Park, CA

$21 * 0.7% 77.5% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Monterey Park, CA

$78 2.7% 12.6% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,602 in Monterey Park, 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 207% 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 $80.0 in Monterey Park, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $421 – making Monterey Park, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Monterey Park, CA

🕒 Local time

09:24 9:24 AM

07:24 7:24 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

60,269

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Monterey Park, CA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,869 in Monterey Park, CA – roughly 9% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,303 in Monterey Park, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $80.0 in Monterey Park, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,869 in Monterey Park, 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 $2,869 in Monterey Park, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Monterey Park, 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.