Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Stockton, CA: $2,796 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Stockton, CA
Learn more

Stockton, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Stockton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,796

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,169 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,796 in Stockton, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,169
Stockton, CA $2,796

A couple spends around $4,682 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,255 in Stockton, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,682
Stockton, CA $4,255

A family of three spends $6,196 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,715 in Stockton, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,196
Stockton, CA $5,715

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Stockton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Stockton, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Stockton, CA by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 $21.62

$22.33 $22.33

-3.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 $91.2

$74.0 $74.0

23.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$11.83 $11.83

10.65%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.79 $5.79

-0.17%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.21 $3.21

-17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.27 $2.27

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.93 $7.93

-12.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$6.67 $6.67

33.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.42 $1.42

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$4.37 $4.37

-9.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.23 $4.23

17.26%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$5.75 $5.75

-19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$8.85 $8.85

57.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.37 $14.37

$14.29 $14.29

0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.59 $18.59

$22.19 $22.19

-16.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.41 $5.41

-0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.30 $1.30

48.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.57 $3.57

12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.61 $5.61

-11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.09 $2.09

33.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.02 $3.02

-8.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.35 $2.35

-8.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.58 $2.58

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.71 $15.71

$11.58 $11.58

35.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$15.31 $15.31

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.69 $1.69

52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.22 $1.22

185.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.52 $2.52

-1.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 $74.4

$40.61 $40.61

83.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.42 $3.42

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$3.04 $3.04

-52.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$29.63 $29.63

-17.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.58 $1.58

-20.89%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

41.44%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.5K $25.5K

1.85%

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

$195 $195

$271 $271

-28.19%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$47.03 $47.03

46.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$84.2 $84.2

-26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 $54.5

$37.39 $37.39

45.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.92 $13.92

28.16%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$248 $248

509.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$14.9K $14.9K

109.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$60.0 $60.0

13.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$29.28 $29.28

76.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$80.5 $80.5

25.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$72.0 $72.0

96.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$1,583 $1,583

53.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 $1,662

$1,349 $1,349

23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 $4,644

$2,866 $2,866

62.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 $2,751

$2,596 $2,596

5.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,036 $4,036

$3,009 $3,009

34.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,677 $2,677

$3,047 $3,047

-12.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,861 $4,861

$3,835 $3,835

26.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.49

4.31%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Last update for Stockton, CA: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53%

Stockton, CA

$1.3K 48.4% 18.9% $314

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3%

Stockton, CA

$434 15.6% 3.5% $16

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3%

Stockton, CA

$359 12.9% 1.3% $4.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4%

Stockton, CA

$402 14.4% 23.5% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2%

Stockton, CA

$109 3.9% 33.2% $54

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Stockton, CA

$69 2.5% 26.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Stockton, CA

$65 2.3% 27.7% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,437 in Chicago, IL versus $1,583 in Stockton, 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 27% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL versus $74.0 in Stockton, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $434 – making Stockton, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Stockton, CA

🕒 Local time

05:21 5:21 AM

03:21 3:21 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

305,658

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Stockton, CA 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,169 in Chicago, IL, $2,796 in Stockton, CA – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,753 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,194 in Stockton, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stockton, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL and $74.0 in Stockton, 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 $3,169 in Chicago, IL and $2,796 in Stockton, 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 $2,796 in Stockton, CA to $3,169 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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