Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pasadena, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
207

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,276

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Pasadena, CA $4,276

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,133 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Pasadena, CA $6,133

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,990 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Pasadena, CA $7,990

Chicago, IL is about 26% cheaper than Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Pasadena, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Pasadena, CA by 217%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$17.89 $17.89

20.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$76.4 $76.4

16.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.11 $10.11

30.56%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.61 $4.61

21.26%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.82 $2.82

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.59 $1.59

42.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$4.95 $4.95

43.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$5.71 $5.71

61.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.39 $1.39

-7.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.00 $4.00

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.93 $2.93

73.04%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$5.22 $5.22

-7.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$13.74 $13.74

3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.94 $13.94

4.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$12.58 $12.58

49.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.60 $4.60

12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.25 $2.25

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.54 $4.54

-11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$6.13 $6.13

-18.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.64 $4.64

-39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.39 $2.39

10.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.86 $1.86

14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.22 $2.22

39.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$11.64 $11.64

37.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$10.96 $10.96

38.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.59 $1.59

64.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.90 $1.90

82.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.75 $1.75

41.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$103 $103

-26.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.54 $3.54

-9.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.89 $1.89

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$24.02 $24.02

4.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.58 $1.58

-21.52%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$33.4K $33.4K

11.34%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

1.16%

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

$192 $192

$248 $248

-22.58%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$59.1 $59.1

14.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$64.4 $64.4

-5.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$34.90 $34.90

53.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$35.33 $35.33

-21.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$12.21 $12.21

45.78%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$3,835 $3,835

-59.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$15.2K $15.2K

107.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$31.04 $31.04

118.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$33.98 $33.98

49.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$71.2 $71.2

42.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$142 $142

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$3,169 $3,169

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$2,907 $2,907

-41.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$5,545 $5,545

-15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$4,978 $4,978

-44.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$8,747 $8,747

-52.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$8,647 $8,647

-68.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$5,199 $5,199

-5.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.33

6.95%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Pasadena, CA

$2.9K 68% 69.8% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Pasadena, CA

$407 9.5% 9.8% $44

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Pasadena, CA

$282 6.6% 20% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Pasadena, CA

$372 8.7% 15.8% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Pasadena, CA

$125 2.9% 23.5% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Pasadena, CA

$123 2.9% 29.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Pasadena, CA

$59 1.4% 33.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $3,169 in Pasadena, 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 6% higher in Pasadena, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $76.0 in Pasadena, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $407 – making Pasadena, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

05:03 5:03 AM

03:03 3:03 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

137,122

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Pasadena, CA 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $4,276 in Pasadena, CA – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $6,414 in Pasadena, 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Pasadena, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $76.0 in Pasadena, 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $4,276 in Pasadena, 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $4,276 in Pasadena, 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, Pasadena, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.