Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tracy, CA: $2,326 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 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
112

Cost of Living Index in Tracy, CA
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Tracy, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Tracy, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,326

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,326 in Tracy, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Tracy, CA $2,326

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,588 in Tracy, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Tracy, CA $2,588

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,850 in Tracy, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Tracy, CA $2,850

Chicago, IL costs about 31% more than Tracy, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Tracy, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Tracy, CA by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.79 $19.79

4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.6 $50.6

76.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.14 $10.14

30.08%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.54 $4.54

24.67%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.94 $2.94

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.87 $1.87

21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.08 $6.08

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.39 $7.39

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.31 $1.31

-4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.34 $4.34

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.48 $5.48

-1.64%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.48 $3.48

36.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.48 $16.48

-16.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.96 $10.96

31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.32 $15.32

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.46 $4.46

17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.37 $4.37

-7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.52 $4.52

9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.16 $2.16

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.38 $3.38

-21.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.03 $2.03

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.97 $1.97

58.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.98 $11.98

15.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.24 $13.24

12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.01 $2.01

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.90 $2.90

21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$66.0 $66.0

11.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.44 $2.44

30.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.87 $1.87

-25.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.55 $29.55

-15.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.51 $1.51

-20.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

26.81%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.61%

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

$194 $194

$181 $181

7.52%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$49.27 $49.27

40.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.7 $76.7

-19.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.26 $15.26

16.71%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,566 $2,566

-30.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$35.6K $35.6K

-10.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$71.2 $71.2

-5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$69.9 $69.9

-25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$94.5 $94.5

7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$236 $236

-39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,818 $1,818

38.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$986 $986

60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,718 $3,718

12.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,588 $5,588

-11.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.62

2.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tracy, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Tracy, CA

$986 42.4% 37.5% $592

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Tracy, CA

$406 17.4% 9.3% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Tracy, CA

$308 13.2% 10.8% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Tracy, CA

$307 13.2% 5.7% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Tracy, CA

$212 9.1% 29.4% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Tracy, CA

$78 * 3.3% 16.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Tracy, CA

$31 * 1.3% 63.5% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,818 in Tracy, 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 13% higher in Tracy, CA, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $51 in Tracy, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $406 – making Tracy, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Tracy, CA

🕒 Local time

05:08 5:08 AM

03:08 3:08 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

98,337

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Tracy, CA 2,900 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,326 in Tracy, CA – Tracy, CA comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,490 in Tracy, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tracy, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,818 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $51 in Tracy, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,326 in Tracy, 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 $2,326 in Tracy, CA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Tracy, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 23% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.