Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Thousand Oaks, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,797 in Thousand Oaks, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Thousand Oaks, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
187

Cost of Living Index in Thousand Oaks, CA
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Thousand Oaks, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Thousand Oaks, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,797

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,797 in Thousand Oaks, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Thousand Oaks, CA $3,797

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,248 in Thousand Oaks, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Thousand Oaks, CA $5,248

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,699 in Thousand Oaks, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Thousand Oaks, CA $6,699

Chicago, IL is about 16% cheaper than Thousand Oaks, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Thousand Oaks, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Thousand Oaks, CA by 181%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$25.09 $25.09

-13.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$100.0 $100.0

-11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$8.60 $8.60

53.49%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.55 $5.55

0.72%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.82 $2.82

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.95 $1.95

15.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.21 $8.21

-13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.72 $9.72

-5.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.14 $1.14

12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.94 $3.94

-2.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.51 $3.51

44.44%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$5.05 $5.05

-4.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$12.55 $12.55

12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$20.24 $20.24

-27.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$21.88 $21.88

-14.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.38 $5.38

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.80 $1.80

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.73 $4.73

-15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.92 $5.92

-15.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.71 $3.71

-24.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.85 $2.85

-7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.62 $1.62

31.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.22 $2.22

39.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$10.16 $10.16

57.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.81 $14.81

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.68 $1.68

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.54 $1.54

124.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.38 $4.38

-26.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.81 $1.81

-23.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$35.85 $35.85

-30.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.48 $1.48

-16.22%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$37.1K $37.1K

0.24%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.12%

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

$192 $192

$163 $163

18.25%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$48.06 $48.06

41.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$69.4 $69.4

-12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$66.9 $66.9

-19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$22.43 $22.43

24.39%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$11.94 $11.94

49.08%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,781 $1,781

-12.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$42.1K $42.1K

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$50.4 $50.4

34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$30.09 $30.09

68.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$79.2 $79.2

28.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$117 $117

22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,607 $2,607

-8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$2,448 $2,448

-30.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$3,705 $3,705

26.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$3,513 $3,513

-22.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$5,959 $5,959

-30.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$5,896 $5,896

-54.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$5,918 $5,918

-17.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.64

1.96%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Thousand Oaks, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$2.4K 64.5% 43% $736

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$467 12.3% 3.4% $16

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$373 9.8% 5.6% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$280 7.4% 12.7% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$125 3.3% 23.7% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$13 * 0.4% 85.9% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Thousand Oaks, CA

$91 2.4% 1.8% $1.6

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,607 in Thousand Oaks, 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 21% higher in Thousand Oaks, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in Thousand Oaks, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $467 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Thousand Oaks, CA

🕒 Local time

09:09 9:09 AM

07:09 7:09 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

124,207

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Thousand Oaks, CA 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $3,797 in Thousand Oaks, CA – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,695 in Thousand Oaks, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Thousand Oaks, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Thousand Oaks, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $3,797 in Thousand Oaks, 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,797 in Thousand Oaks, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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