Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mountain View, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mountain View, CA

😐 Solo nomad: Chicago, IL is 7.3% more expensive than Mountain View, CA without rent, and 24.3% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chicago, IL is 6.5% cheaper than Mountain View, CA without rent, and 26.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.82 $20.82

$20.28 $20.28

2.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

0.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$9.95 $9.95

20.30%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.43 $5.43

2.39%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$2.61 $2.61

19.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.5 $2.5

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$7.16 $7.16

-4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 $8.45

$10.17 $10.17

-16.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.28 $1.28

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.46 $4.46

-6.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.26 $3.26

69.33%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$4.95 $4.95

-6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 $14.33

$16.86 $16.86

-15.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.59 $15.59

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$20.8 $20.8

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$6.07 $6.07

-14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.34 $4.34

1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.35 $5.35

-15.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.45 $3.45

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.46 $4.46

-38.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.91 $1.91

27.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.7 $2.7

$2.85 $2.85

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 $15.19

$9.93 $9.93

52.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$14.06 $14.06

16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.17 $2.17

8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.7 $3.7

$2.57 $2.57

43.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.8 $2.8

-9.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

$89.8 $89.8

-17.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.52 $3.52

-5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.57 $2.57

-44.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.42 $25.42

$29.42 $29.42

-13.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 $1.27

-14.96%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$30.1K $30.1K

7.68%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.31%

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

$188 $188

$278 $278

-32.41%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$48.7 $48.7

30.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$65.8 $65.8

-0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 $76.7

$55.6 $55.6

38.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

$11.76 $11.76

10.80%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$15.19 $15.19

-1.71%

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

$2,063 $2,063

$1,857 $1,857

11.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

49.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 $64.3

$52.8 $52.8

21.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$43.76 $43.76

19.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$89.2 $89.2

6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$139 $139

3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$2,757 $2,757

-13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$2,366 $2,366

-33.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,763 $4,763

$5,193 $5,193

-8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 $2,815

$4,901 $4,901

-42.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,588 $3,588

$10.6K $10.6K

-66.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$10.4K $10.4K

-75.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,275 $5,275

$9,617 $9,617

-45.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

Last update for Mountain View, CA: October 28, 2025

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