Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Vallejo, CA: $2,864 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

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

Cost of Living Index in Vallejo, CA
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Vallejo, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Vallejo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,864

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,864 in Vallejo, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Vallejo, CA $2,864

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,660 in Vallejo, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Vallejo, CA $4,660

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,456 in Vallejo, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Vallejo, CA $6,456

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Vallejo, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Vallejo, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Vallejo, CA by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$27.14 $27.14

-23.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$91.1 $91.1

-0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.92 $11.92

8.56%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.75 $4.75

17.89%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.80 $2.80

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.77 $2.77

-18.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.80 $7.80

-10.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.12 $9.12

-3.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.41 $1.41

-9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.49 $4.49

-15.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.05 $4.05

30.86%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.04 $5.04

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$19.21 $19.21

-27.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.11 $14.11

3.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.55 $14.55

29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.35 $4.35

19.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.12 $2.12

-6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.44 $5.44

-27.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.72 $6.72

-26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.93 $3.93

-29.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.63 $3.63

-23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.94 $2.94

-24.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.02 $2.02

47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.90 $9.90

41.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.02 $10.02

52.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.69 $1.69

52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.13 $2.13

64.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$5.06 $5.06

-51.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$70.6 $70.6

5.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.08 $4.08

-18.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.89 $1.89

-24.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$28.40 $28.40

-14.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.36 $1.36

-7.35%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.39%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

6.46%

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

$193 $193

$139 $139

38.52%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$48.45 $48.45

40.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$71.4 $71.4

-14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$37.60 $37.60

43.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$10.67 $10.67

161.67%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.84 $12.84

38.16%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$709 $709

132.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$7,966 $7,966

289.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$42.01 $42.01

57.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$36.83 $36.83

39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$85.3 $85.3

17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$78.3 $78.3

79.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,595 $1,595

53.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,494 $1,494

12.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,191 $3,191

47.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,265 $3,265

-14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,666 $3,666

11.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,728 $3,728

-28.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,323 $4,323

12.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.46

5.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Vallejo, 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%

Vallejo, CA

$1.5K 52.2% 10.9% $184

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Vallejo, CA

$445 15.5% 1% $4.5

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Vallejo, CA

$389 13.6% 13.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Vallejo, CA

$259 9% 19.6% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Vallejo, CA

$109 3.8% 32.4% $52

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Vallejo, CA

$104 3.6% 9.7% $9.2

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Vallejo, CA

$63 2.2% 29.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,595 in Vallejo, 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 Chicago, IL, 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 $91.0 in Vallejo, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $445 in Vallejo, CA – so Vallejo, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Vallejo, CA

🕒 Local time

10:29 10:29 AM

08:29 8:29 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

121,692

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Vallejo, CA 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,864 in Vallejo, CA – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,296 in Vallejo, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $91.0 in Vallejo, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,864 in Vallejo, 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 $2,864 in Vallejo, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Vallejo, 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.