Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Quincy, CA: $2,703 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Quincy, CA
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Quincy, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Quincy, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,703

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,703 in Quincy, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Quincy, CA $2,703

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,709 in Quincy, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Quincy, CA $3,709

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,714 in Quincy, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Quincy, CA $4,714

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Quincy, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Quincy, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Quincy, CA by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.84 $19.84

4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$73.8 $73.8

20.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.28 $11.28

16.93%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.48 $5.48

3.28%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.65 $2.65

-0.38%

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

$6.10 $6.10

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.56 $6.56

34.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.66 $3.66

1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.49 $4.49

20.04%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.07 $4.07

16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.49 $12.49

10.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.57 $11.57

24.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.00 $17.00

8.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.05 $5.05

3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.34 $4.34

-6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.73 $4.73

5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.87 $2.87

-6.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.97 $2.97

-10.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.21 $2.21

1.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.30 $2.30

36.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.16 $10.16

36.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.71 $14.71

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.99 $1.99

27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.40 $3.40

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.19 $2.19

10.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$65.2 $65.2

12.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.33 $3.33

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.63 $1.63

-14.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.13 $30.13

-16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.60 $1.60

-25.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.5K $24.5K

42.97%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.55%

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

$194 $194

$182 $182

6.75%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.4 $56.4

23.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$63.2 $63.2

-2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.42 $34.42

39.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.11 $15.11

17.87%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,307 $1,307

37.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

20.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.56 $49.56

35.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.22 $38.22

36.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$78.3 $78.3

29.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$114 $114

26.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,540 $1,540

64.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,405 $1,405

12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,497 $2,497

89.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,838 $1,838

46.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,625 $2,625

59.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,078 $2,078

33.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Quincy, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Quincy, CA

$1.4K 52% 11% $173

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Quincy, CA

$400 14.8% 10.5% $47

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Quincy, CA

$320 11.9% 7.1% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Quincy, CA

$302 11.2% 7.3% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Quincy, CA

$126 4.7% 23.2% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Quincy, CA

$85 3.2% 8.5% $7.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Quincy, CA

$65 2.4% 22.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,540 in Quincy, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Quincy, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $400 – making Quincy, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Quincy, CA

🕒 Local time

20:52 8:52 PM

18:52 6:52 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

92,271

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,703 in Quincy, CA – Quincy, CA comes out roughly 11% 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 $4,054 in Quincy, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quincy, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,540 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Quincy, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,703 in Quincy, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Quincy, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 11% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.