Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Santa Ana, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
170

Cost of Living Index in Santa Ana, CA
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Santa Ana, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Santa Ana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Santa Ana, CA $3,474

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,054 in Santa Ana, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Santa Ana, CA $5,054

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,635 in Santa Ana, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Santa Ana, CA $6,635

Chicago, IL is about 10% cheaper than Santa Ana, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Santa Ana, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Santa Ana, CA by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$22.65 $22.65

-8.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$81.4 $81.4

10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$16.64 $16.64

-22.24%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.92 $5.92

-5.41%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.02 $3.02

-12.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.39 $2.39

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.35 $7.35

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.71 $9.71

-9.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.03 $4.03

-5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.67 $4.67

13.49%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.79 $5.79

-17.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.90 $12.90

8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$17.06 $17.06

-14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$21.14 $21.14

-11.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.93 $4.93

5.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 $1.67

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.10 $4.10

-4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.73 $5.73

-13.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.72 $3.72

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.18 $3.18

-13.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.10 $2.10

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.84 $1.84

61.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.69 $11.69

19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.88 $14.88

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.50 $2.50

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.06 $4.06

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.98 $1.98

24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$69.0 $69.0

8.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$6.31 $6.31

-47.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$4.84 $4.84

-70.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$48.18 $48.18

-49.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.51 $1.51

-16.56%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.3K $29.3K

19.31%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

-3.20%

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

$193 $193

$173 $173

11.07%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$67.7 $67.7

0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$73.8 $73.8

-16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$56.7 $56.7

-4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$44.05 $44.05

-36.62%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.40 $15.40

15.19%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,202 $1,202

37.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$62.5 $62.5

5.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$42.17 $42.17

21.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$106 $106

-5.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$145 $145

-2.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,617 $2,617

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,965 $1,965

-14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,217 $3,217

46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,227 $3,227

-13.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$4,596 $4,596

-10.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$4,226 $4,226

-37.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,286 $3,286

48.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Santa Ana, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Santa Ana, CA

$2K 56.6% 17.1% $288

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Santa Ana, CA

$458 13.2% 1.9% $8.6

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Santa Ana, CA

$380 10.9% 10.7% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Santa Ana, CA

$315 9.1% 2.3% $7.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Santa Ana, CA

$160 4.6% 0.6% $1

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Santa Ana, CA

$107 3.1% 13% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Santa Ana, CA

$87 2.5% 2.4% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,617 in Santa Ana, 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 48% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $81.0 in Santa Ana, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $458 in Santa Ana, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Santa Ana, CA

🕒 Local time

11:12 11:12 AM

09:12 9:12 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

335,400

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,210 in Santa Ana, 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.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Santa Ana, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $81.0 in Santa Ana, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,474 in Santa Ana, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,474 in Santa Ana, 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, Santa Ana, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.