Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,228 in Oxnard, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Oxnard, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in Oxnard, CA
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Oxnard, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Oxnard, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,228 in Oxnard, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Oxnard, CA $3,228

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,261 in Oxnard, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Oxnard, CA $4,261

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,294 in Oxnard, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Oxnard, CA $5,294

Chicago, IL is about 6% cheaper than Oxnard, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Oxnard, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Oxnard, CA by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.99 $19.99

3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$64.4 $64.4

38.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.58 $11.58

13.90%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.79 $2.79

-5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.97 $1.97

15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.16 $8.16

-15.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.69 $9.69

-8.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.15 $1.15

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.62 $5.62

-33.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.25 $4.25

26.82%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.14 $5.14

-7.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.10 $12.10

14.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$20.28 $20.28

-28.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.00 $14.00

31.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.36 $4.36

19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.80 $1.80

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.15 $4.15

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.41 $6.41

-22.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.50 $3.50

-23.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.96 $1.96

35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.28 $2.28

-1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.22 $2.22

40.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.14 $10.14

36.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.90 $14.90

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.09 $3.09

13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.49 $1.49

63.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.40 $4.40

-27.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.85 $1.85

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$35.57 $35.57

-29.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.31 $1.31

-8.40%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.43%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.88%

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

$194 $194

$129 $129

50.78%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.1 $53.1

30.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.1 $71.1

-13.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$61.1 $61.1

-21.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.22 $12.22

45.74%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,193 $1,193

50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$43.4K $43.4K

-26.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$37.69 $37.69

77.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.48 $41.48

25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$59.0 $59.0

72.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$78.5 $78.5

83.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,995 $1,995

26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,970 $1,970

-19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,301 $3,301

43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,491 $2,491

8.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,864 $5,864

-28.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$5,771 $5,771

-52.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,452 $3,452

42.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.1

11.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Oxnard, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Oxnard, CA

$2K 61% 24.8% $392

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Oxnard, CA

$461 14.3% 3.1% $14

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Oxnard, CA

$341 10.6% 1% $3.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Oxnard, CA

$253 7.8% 22.2% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Oxnard, CA

$97 3% 40.6% $67

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Oxnard, CA

$20 * 0.6% 79% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Oxnard, CA

$86 2.7% 2.4% $2

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 $1,995 in Oxnard, 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 43% 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 $64 in Oxnard, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $461 in Oxnard, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Oxnard, CA

🕒 Local time

07:43 7:43 AM

05:43 5:43 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

207,254

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Oxnard, CA 2,870 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,228 in Oxnard, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,842 in Oxnard, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oxnard, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,995 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $64 in Oxnard, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Oxnard, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,228 in Oxnard, 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 $3,228 in Oxnard, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.