Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,259 in Ontario, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ontario, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Ontario, CA
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Ontario, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Ontario, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,259

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,259 in Ontario, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Ontario, CA $3,259

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,446 in Ontario, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Ontario, CA $4,446

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,634 in Ontario, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Ontario, CA $5,634

Chicago, IL is about 7% cheaper than Ontario, CA.

Both Chicago, IL and Ontario, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Ontario, CA by 139%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.22 $20.22

2.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.3 $76.3

16.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.80 $14.80

-10.88%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.86 $5.86

-3.41%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.19 $3.19

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.09 $7.09

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.62 $9.62

-8.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.09 $1.09

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.12 $4.12

-9.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.70 $4.70

14.68%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.73 $4.73

0.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.18 $13.18

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.78 $8.78

64.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.36 $15.36

19.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.60 $4.60

13.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.08 $4.08

-0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.45 $5.45

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.60 $3.60

-25.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.25 $2.25

18.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.98 $1.98

13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.93 $1.93

62.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.01 $12.01

15.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.99 $14.99

-0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.91 $1.91

32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.29 $4.29

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.16 $45.16

62.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$6.38 $6.38

-50.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.45 $1.45

-17.24%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.0K $29.0K

20.69%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-1.17%

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

$194 $194

$216 $216

-9.96%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.6 $68.6

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$63.4 $63.4

-2.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$47.73 $47.73

0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$29.40 $29.40

-7.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.76 $17.76

0.28%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,169 $1,169

53.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.5 $58.5

14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.06 $40.06

30.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$93.6 $93.6

8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$104 $104

37.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,829 $1,829

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,891 $1,891

-16.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,154 $3,154

50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,621 $2,621

2.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,369 $4,369

-4.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,557 $3,557

-22.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,635 $3,635

35.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ontario, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Ontario, CA

$1.9K 58% 19.8% $313

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Ontario, CA

$391 12% 12.7% $57

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Ontario, CA

$353 10.8% 2.4% $8.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Ontario, CA

$348 10.7% 6.9% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Ontario, CA

$133 4.1% 18.7% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Ontario, CA

$59 * 1.8% 36.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Ontario, CA

$83 2.6% 0.3% $0.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,829 in Ontario, 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 36% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Ontario, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $391 – making Ontario, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ontario, CA

🕒 Local time

11:49 11:49 AM

09:49 9:49 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

185,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Ontario, CA 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Ontario, CA costs about 7% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,888 in Ontario, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ontario, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,829 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Ontario, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Ontario, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,259 in Ontario, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,259 in Ontario, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.