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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chicago, IL is 11.3% cheaper than Oakland, CA without rent, and 10.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chicago, IL is 14.4% cheaper than Oakland, CA without rent, and 19.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.82 $20.82

$29.9 $29.9

-30.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$145 $145

-30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$14.38 $14.38

-16.76%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$4.79 $4.79

16.08%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$2.65 $2.65

17.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.15 $2.15

12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$8.07 $8.07

-14.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 $8.45

$8.16 $8.16

3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.42 $1.42

-26.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.04 $5.04

-17.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$6.15 $6.15

-10.24%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$6.86 $6.86

-32.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 $14.33

$20.44 $20.44

-29.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.85 $14.85

0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$16.6 $16.6

16.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$7.69 $7.69

-32.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.24 $2.24

-23.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$6.35 $6.35

-30.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.06 $6.06

-25.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$4.38 $4.38

-42.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.37 $3.37

-18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.18 $2.18

11.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.7 $2.7

$3.09 $3.09

-12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 $15.19

$11.08 $11.08

37.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$12.2 $12.2

34.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.71 $1.71

37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.7 $3.7

$4.03 $4.03

-8.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.09 $3.09

-18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

$86.1 $86.1

-13.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.6 $3.6

-7.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.44 $2.44

-41.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.42 $25.42

$39.3 $39.3

-35.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.3 $1.3

-16.92%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$23.9K $23.9K

35.62%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.55%

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

$188 $188

$278 $278

-32.25%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$53.8 $53.8

18.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$72.5 $72.5

-10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 $76.7

$53.6 $53.6

43.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

$12.83 $12.83

1.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$14.72 $14.72

1.43%

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

$2,063 $2,063

$2,694 $2,694

-23.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$37.9K $37.9K

3.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 $64.3

$62.2 $62.2

3.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$60.4 $60.4

-13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$94.5 $94.5

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$126 $126

15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$1,935 $1,935

22.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$1,715 $1,715

-7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,763 $4,763

$4,510 $4,510

5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 $2,815

$3,602 $3,602

-21.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,588 $3,588

$7,068 $7,068

-49.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$7,087 $7,087

-64.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,275 $5,275

$5,604 $5,604

-5.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.55

0.76%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

Last update for Oakland, CA: October 28, 2025

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