Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,356 in San Francisco, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 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
209

Cost of Living Index in San Francisco, CA
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San Francisco, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

San Francisco, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,356

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,356 in San Francisco, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
San Francisco, CA $4,356

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,614 in San Francisco, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
San Francisco, CA $6,614

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,871 in San Francisco, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
San Francisco, CA $8,871

Chicago, IL is about 30% cheaper than San Francisco, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, San Francisco, CA by 220%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$27.55 $27.55

-24.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$122 $122

-26.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.92 $14.92

-11.60%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.00 $6.00

-5.67%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.23 $3.23

-18.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.71 $2.71

-15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.76 $7.76

-11.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.78 $8.78

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.77 $1.77

-29.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.24 $5.24

-29.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.80 $4.80

12.29%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.95 $4.95

-4.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.60 $16.60

-16.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.50 $15.50

-7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.61 $22.61

-18.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.10 $6.10

-14.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.70 $2.70

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.46 $4.46

-8.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.90 $6.90

-27.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.91 $2.91

-8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.61 $3.61

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.75 $2.75

-18.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.64 $2.64

18.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.99 $11.99

15.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.33 $14.33

3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.21 $3.21

-20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.53 $3.53

-0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.04 $3.04

-20.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$91.6 $91.6

-19.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.04 $4.04

-21.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.08 $2.08

-33.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.29 $39.29

-36.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.56 $1.56

-23.08%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.2K $34.2K

2.59%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.40%

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

$194 $194

$214 $214

-9.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$61.6 $61.6

12.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.9 $76.9

-19.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$104 $104

-54.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$20.59 $20.59

32.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.82 $17.82

-0.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,982 $2,982

-39.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$41.9K $41.9K

-23.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$79.3 $79.3

-15.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$49.71 $49.71

4.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$141 $141

2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$3,572 $3,572

-29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,648 $2,648

-40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$5,705 $5,705

-16.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$4,902 $4,902

-45.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$10.5K $10.5K

-60.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$8,203 $8,203

-66.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,813 $6,813

-27.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.76

0.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for San Francisco, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

San Francisco, CA

$2.6K 60.8% 67.8% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

San Francisco, CA

$514 11.8% 14.8% $66

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

San Francisco, CA

$417 9.6% 21% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

San Francisco, CA

$353 8.1% 8.3% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

San Francisco, CA

$166 3.8% 1.5% $2.4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

San Francisco, CA

$118 2.7% 26.6% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

San Francisco, CA

$140 3.2% 67.8% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $3,572 in San Francisco, 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 38% higher in San Francisco, 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 in Chicago, IL versus $122 in San Francisco, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $514 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 San Francisco, CA

🕒 Local time

14:34 2:34 PM

12:34 12:34 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

873,965

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL San Francisco, CA 2,990 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $4,356 in San Francisco, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $6,534 in San Francisco, 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 $3,572 in San Francisco, CA.

Groceries cost about 15% more in San Francisco, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $122 in San Francisco, 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 $4,356 in San Francisco, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $4,356 in San Francisco, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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