Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Union City, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $4,153 in Union City, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Union City, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
199

Cost of Living Index in Union City, CA
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Union City, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Union City, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,153

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,153 in Union City, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Union City, CA $4,153

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,121 in Union City, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Union City, CA $6,121

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,090 in Union City, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Union City, CA $8,090

Chicago, IL is about 24% cheaper than Union City, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Union City, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Union City, CA by 206%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$22.48 $22.48

-8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$101 $101

-11.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.05 $13.05

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.59 $5.59

0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.95 $2.95

-10.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.45 $2.45

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.02 $8.02

-12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.84 $9.84

-10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.53 $4.53

-16.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.01 $4.01

32.17%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.99 $5.99

-20.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$20.01 $20.01

-30.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.12 $13.12

11.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$9.05 $9.05

107.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.68 $2.68

46.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.35 $4.35

14.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.23 $2.23

23.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.91 $2.91

-5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.44 $2.44

-9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.50 $2.50

19.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.66 $11.66

20.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.61 $15.61

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.45 $2.45

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.30 $3.30

6.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.52 $3.52

-5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.87 $1.87

-23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.63 $29.63

-17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.52 $1.52

-17.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.24%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

-3.11%

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

$193 $193

$279 $279

-31.04%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$47.53 $47.53

43.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$82.7 $82.7

-25.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.49 $42.49

27.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.76 $16.76

5.85%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,841 $1,841

-10.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$39.2K $39.2K

-20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$41.10 $41.10

60.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$51.6 $51.6

-0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$87.7 $87.7

14.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 $122

15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$3,505 $3,505

-30.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,728 $2,728

-38.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$4,794 $4,794

-1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$4,944 $4,944

-43.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$7,169 $7,169

-32.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Union City, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Union City, CA

$2.7K 65.7% 62.6% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Union City, CA

$423 10.2% 5.8% $26

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Union City, CA

$367 8.9% 7% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Union City, CA

$410 9.9% 27.1% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Union City, CA

$136 3.3% 15.7% $25

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Union City, CA

$13 * 0.3% 86.5% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Union City, CA

$76 1.8% 15.2% $14

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 $3,505 in Union City, 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 47% higher in Union City, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Union City, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $423 in Union City, CA – so Union City, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Union City, CA

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

00:37 12:37 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

63,930

💱 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 Union City, CA 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $4,153 in Union City, CA – roughly 32% 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 $6,229 in Union City, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Union City, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Union City, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $4,153 in Union City, 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 $4,153 in Union City, 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, Union City, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.