Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,860 in Pleasanton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pleasanton, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Pleasanton, CA
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Pleasanton, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Pleasanton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,860

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,860 in Pleasanton, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Pleasanton, CA $3,860

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,385 in Pleasanton, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Pleasanton, CA $5,385

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,911 in Pleasanton, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Pleasanton, CA $6,911

Chicago, IL is about 21% cheaper than Pleasanton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Pleasanton, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Pleasanton, CA by 184%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.19 $20.19

2.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.4 $75.4

18.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.83 $14.83

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.71 $5.71

-0.88%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.63 $2.63

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.73 $2.73

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.95 $7.95

-13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.82 $8.82

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.76 $4.76

-21.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.71 $4.71

14.44%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.81 $4.81

-1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.51 $9.51

45.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.21 $15.21

-5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.13 $22.13

-16.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.18 $6.18

-15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.65 $2.65

-25.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.29 $4.29

-5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.82 $6.82

-27.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.86 $2.86

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.74 $3.74

-28.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.81 $2.81

-20.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.64 $2.64

18.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.83 $11.83

16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.40 $14.40

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.25 $3.25

-21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.70 $3.70

-5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.9 $58.9

24.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.93 $2.93

8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.97 $1.97

-29.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.44 $39.44

-36.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.50 $1.50

-20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.41%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.25%

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

$194 $194

$129 $129

50.71%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.9 $51.9

33.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.1 $75.1

-17.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$60.9 $60.9

-21.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.80 $17.80

0.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,075 $2,075

-13.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$36.6K $36.6K

-12.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$39.60 $39.60

69.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.41 $38.41

35.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$70.2 $70.2

44.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$95.0 $95.0

51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$3,067 $3,067

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,485 $2,485

-36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,401 $4,401

7.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,816 $3,816

-29.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$8,690 $8,690

-51.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$7,870 $7,870

-64.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$8,103 $8,103

-39.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pleasanton, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Pleasanton, CA

$2.5K 64.4% 57.5% $907

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Pleasanton, CA

$480 12.4% 7.3% $33

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Pleasanton, CA

$353 9.2% 2.4% $8.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Pleasanton, CA

$256 6.6% 21.4% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Pleasanton, CA

$109 2.8% 33.3% $55

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Pleasanton, CA

$79 2.1% 14.9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Pleasanton, CA

$97 2.5% 15.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $3,067 in Pleasanton, 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 64% higher in Pleasanton, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $75 in Pleasanton, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $480 in Pleasanton, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pleasanton, CA

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

16:07 4:07 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

81,777

💱 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 Pleasanton, CA 2,940 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,860 in Pleasanton, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 21% 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 $5,789 in Pleasanton, 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,067 in Pleasanton, CA.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Pleasanton, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Pleasanton, 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 $3,860 in Pleasanton, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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