Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tehachapi, CA: $2,637 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Tehachapi, CA
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Tehachapi, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Tehachapi, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,637

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,637 in Tehachapi, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Tehachapi, CA $2,637

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,124 in Tehachapi, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Tehachapi, CA $4,124

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,611 in Tehachapi, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Tehachapi, CA $5,611

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Tehachapi, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Tehachapi, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Tehachapi, CA by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.30 $25.30

-18.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$60.4 $60.4

49.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.26 $13.26

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.92 $5.92

-5.41%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.84 $2.84

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.99 $1.99

14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.16 $8.16

-14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.93 $6.93

27.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.43 $1.43

-11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.94 $3.94

-3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.95 $6.95

-23.74%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.16 $5.16

-7.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$19.28 $19.28

-27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.74 $14.74

-0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.39 $22.39

-16.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.55 $6.55

-20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.26 $3.26

-39.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.41 $6.41

-38.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.75 $5.75

-13.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.87 $3.87

-28.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.15 $4.15

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.41 $3.41

-34.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.12 $2.12

40.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.70 $11.70

19.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.93 $15.93

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.30 $2.30

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.51 $4.51

-22.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.72 $1.72

43.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.97 $2.97

12.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.42 $2.42

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$58.9 $58.9

-58.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.16 $1.16

8.62%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.38%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.00%

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

$193 $193

$248 $248

-22.31%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$59.3 $59.3

15.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$70.7 $70.7

-13.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.14 $42.14

28.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.77 $13.77

28.83%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,419 $1,419

16.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$37.1K $37.1K

-16.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$86.1 $86.1

-23.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$44.59 $44.59

14.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$79.1 $79.1

26.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$115 $115

22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,591 $1,591

53.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,115 $1,115

50.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,540 $2,540

85.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,375 $2,375

17.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,738 $2,738

49.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,216 $2,216

19.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.75

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tehachapi, 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%

Tehachapi, CA

$1.1K 42.3% 33.5% $563

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Tehachapi, CA

$519 19.7% 15.4% $69

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Tehachapi, CA

$387 14.7% 12.7% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Tehachapi, CA

$378 14.3% 17.3% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Tehachapi, CA

$146 5.5% 9.5% $15

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Tehachapi, CA

$22 * 0.8% 76.9% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Tehachapi, CA

$70 2.6% 22.2% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,591 in Tehachapi, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $60.0 in Tehachapi, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $519 in Tehachapi, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Tehachapi, CA

🕒 Local time

02:50 2:50 AM

00:50 12:50 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

14,414

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Tehachapi, CA 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,637 in Tehachapi, CA – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,955 in Tehachapi, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $60.0 in Tehachapi, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,637 in Tehachapi, 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 $2,637 in Tehachapi, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Tehachapi, 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.