Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA: $2,675 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
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Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,675 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA $2,675

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,939 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA $3,939

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,203 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA $5,203

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Rancho Palos Verdes, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.87 $19.87

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$77.0 $77.0

15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$15.17 $15.17

-15.29%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.66 $5.66

2.12%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.07 $3.07

-10.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.42 $2.42

-6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.35 $7.35

-6.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.65 $9.65

-4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.34 $1.34

-5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.48 $4.48

-20.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.74 $4.74

13.50%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.75 $4.75

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.02 $13.02

4.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.43 $14.43

-2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.63 $15.63

15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.08 $5.08

1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 $1.67

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.02 $4.02

-3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.53 $5.53

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.78 $3.78

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.33 $2.33

14.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.05 $2.05

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.86 $1.86

62.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.89 $11.89

16.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.13 $15.13

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.92 $1.92

36.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.05 $4.05

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.08 $2.08

16.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$63.4 $63.4

18.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.05 $3.05

3.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.89 $1.89

-10.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$36.16 $36.16

-31.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.58 $1.58

-18.99%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.2K $29.2K

22.66%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.04%

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

$192 $192

$218 $218

-11.90%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$67.5 $67.5

3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$59.5 $59.5

4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$43.50 $43.50

9.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.87 $14.87

19.91%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,891 $1,891

-4.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$12.8K $12.8K

217.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$58.2 $58.2

13.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$40.70 $40.70

26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$94.2 $94.2

9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$102 $102

39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,556 $1,556

62.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,261 $1,261

28.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,606 $2,606

85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,110 $2,110

29.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,792 $2,792

49.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,121 $2,121

28.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$9,816 $9,816

-49.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.31

7.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Rancho Palos Verdes, CA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$1.3K 47.1% 22.2% $360

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$428 16% 2.6% $11

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$350 13.1% 1.9% $6.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$345 12.9% 6.5% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$133 5% 18.8% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$84 3.2% 12.8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$73 2.7% 12.2% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,556 in Rancho Palos Verdes, 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 99% higher in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, 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 $77 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $428 – making Rancho Palos Verdes, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

🕒 Local time

04:07 4:07 AM

02:07 2:07 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

41,754

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rancho Palos Verdes, 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 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,675 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA – Rancho Palos Verdes, CA comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,012 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,556 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $77 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,675 in Rancho Palos Verdes, 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 $2,675 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 13% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.