Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Upland, CA: $2,406 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Upland, CA
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Upland, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Upland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,406 in Upland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Upland, CA $2,406

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,533 in Upland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Upland, CA $3,533

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,661 in Upland, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Upland, CA $4,661

Chicago, IL costs about 28% more than Upland, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Upland, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Upland, CA by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$14.85 $14.85

37.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$71.1 $71.1

24.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.93 $11.93

7.71%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$1.99 $1.99

190.45%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.01 $2.01

36.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.02 $2.02

11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.38 $7.38

-6.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.58 $9.58

-3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.08 $1.08

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.22 $2.22

59.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.22 $2.22

142.34%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.67 $4.67

-2.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$8.96 $8.96

52.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$6.75 $6.75

108.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.21 $15.21

18.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.43 $4.43

16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.24 $3.24

19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.93 $5.93

-18.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.23 $2.23

26.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.21 $2.21

20.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.97 $1.97

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.83 $1.83

65.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.90 $11.90

16.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.01 $12.01

25.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.91 $1.91

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.28 $1.28

169.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.82 $1.82

33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.3 $60.3

24.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.16 $3.16

0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.84 $1.84

-7.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$35.62 $35.62

-30.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.41 $1.41

-9.22%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.3K $29.3K

22.27%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.5K $27.5K

-2.53%

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

$192 $192

$167 $167

15.21%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$67.8 $67.8

2.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$59.3 $59.3

4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$44.63 $44.63

7.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.36 $15.36

16.08%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,879 $1,879

-3.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$18.1K $18.1K

124.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$58.0 $58.0

14.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.32 $39.32

30.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$74.7 $74.7

38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$120 $120

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,562 $1,562

62.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,255 $1,255

29.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,599 $2,599

85.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,102 $2,102

30.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,531 $2,531

64.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,671 $2,671

1.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,200 $5,200

-5.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.31

7.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Upland, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Upland, CA

$1.3K 52.2% 22.6% $366

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Upland, CA

$319 13.3% 27.4% $120

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Upland, CA

$251 10.4% 27.1% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Upland, CA

$294 12.2% 9.3% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Upland, CA

$131 5.5% 19.7% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Upland, CA

$80 3.3% 17.3% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Upland, CA

$75 3.1% 9.7% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,562 in Upland, 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 6% higher in Upland, 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 $71 in Upland, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $319 – making Upland, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Upland, CA

🕒 Local time

21:19 9:19 PM

19:19 7:19 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

73,379

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Upland, CA 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,406 in Upland, CA – Upland, CA comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,608 in Upland, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upland, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,562 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $71 in Upland, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Upland, CA, where all-in costs run around $2,406, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Upland, CA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,406 in Upland, CA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Upland, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.