Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,733 in Oakland, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 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
180

Cost of Living Index in Oakland, CA
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Oakland, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Oakland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,733 in Oakland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Oakland, CA $3,733

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,782 in Oakland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Oakland, CA $5,782

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,831 in Oakland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Oakland, CA $7,831

Chicago, IL is about 16% cheaper than Oakland, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Oakland, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Oakland, CA by 176%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$24.50 $24.50

-15.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$118 $118

-23.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.79 $11.79

9.75%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.55 $5.55

0.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.60 $3.60

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.42 $2.42

-6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.81 $7.81

-10.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.22 $8.22

7.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.39 $1.39

-8.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.99 $4.99

-23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$8.45 $8.45

-37.28%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$6.18 $6.18

-22.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$25.97 $25.97

-46.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$18.25 $18.25

-19.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.57 $22.57

-16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$7.94 $7.94

-34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.37 $2.37

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$8.32 $8.32

-52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.58 $6.58

-24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$5.14 $5.14

-46.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.97 $2.97

-7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.56 $2.56

-13.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.05 $3.05

-2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.88 $11.88

18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$19.90 $19.90

-23.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.72 $1.72

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.73 $3.73

-6.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.11 $3.11

-20.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$85.7 $85.7

-12.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.29 $3.29

1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.43 $2.43

-41.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$40.06 $40.06

-39.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.54 $1.54

-18.18%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.42%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.28%

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

$193 $193

$192 $192

0.51%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$64.7 $64.7

5.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.4 $66.4

-7.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.08 $39.08

38.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$12.86 $12.86

117.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.71 $15.71

12.92%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,701 $2,701

-38.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$36.9K $36.9K

-15.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$70.0 $70.0

-5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$48.49 $48.49

5.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$118 $118

-15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$209 $209

-32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,367 $2,367

3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,045 $2,045

-17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$4,278 $4,278

10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,869 $3,869

-27.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$7,913 $7,913

-48.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$5,795 $5,795

-54.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,523 $5,523

-11.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.77

0.59%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Oakland, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Oakland, CA

$2K 54.8% 21.9% $367

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Oakland, CA

$603 16.2% 34.2% $154

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Oakland, CA

$378 10.1% 9.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Oakland, CA

$323 8.7% 0.2% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Oakland, CA

$200 5.4% 24.2% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Oakland, CA

$114 3% 19.4% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Oakland, CA

$71 1.9% 21.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,367 in Oakland, 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 14% higher in Oakland, CA, 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 $118 in Oakland, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $603 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Oakland, CA

🕒 Local time

09:22 9:22 AM

07:22 7:22 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

433,031

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Oakland, CA 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,733 in Oakland, CA – roughly 19% 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 $5,600 in Oakland, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 34% more in Oakland, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $118 in Oakland, 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 $3,733 in Oakland, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,733 in Oakland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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