Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Visalia, CA: $2,809 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
135

Cost of Living Index in Visalia, CA
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Visalia, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Visalia, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,809

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,809 in Visalia, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Visalia, CA $2,809

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,985 in Visalia, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Visalia, CA $3,985

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,160 in Visalia, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Visalia, CA $5,160

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Visalia, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Visalia, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Visalia, CA by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.70 $19.70

3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$102 $102

-13.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.55 $9.55

34.55%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.24 $5.24

10.31%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.03 $2.03

34.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.47 $1.47

53.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.89 $5.89

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.97 $5.97

54.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.39 $1.39

-9.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.11 $3.11

14.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.46 $4.46

20.63%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.58 $4.58

-0.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$9.99 $9.99

36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.80 $8.80

59.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.71 $14.71

22.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.66 $5.66

-8.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.91 $1.91

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.27 $2.27

70.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.51 $4.51

7.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.85 $2.85

-1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.24 $2.24

19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.05 $2.05

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$4.07 $4.07

-25.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.89 $11.89

16.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.10 $17.10

-11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.67 $2.67

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.91 $1.91

80.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.55 $3.55

-31.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$35.67 $35.67

111.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.41 $3.41

-7.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.11 $2.11

-19.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$35.54 $35.54

-29.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.31 $1.31

-2.29%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$36.6K $36.6K

-2.15%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.98%

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

$192 $192

$202 $202

-5.14%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$54.4 $54.4

27.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$53.2 $53.2

16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$35.30 $35.30

35.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.09 $13.09

36.21%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$565 $565

221.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$33.5K $33.5K

21.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$79.6 $79.6

-16.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$90.6 $90.6

-43.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$128 $128

-19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$135 $135

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,502 $1,502

68.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,482 $1,482

9.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,141 $2,141

125.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,098 $2,098

30.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,601 $2,601

60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,611 $2,611

4.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,411 $4,411

11.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.35

6.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Visalia, 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%

Visalia, CA

$1.5K 52.8% 8.6% $139

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Visalia, CA

$392 14% 10.7% $47

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Visalia, CA

$305 10.8% 11.5% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Visalia, CA

$310 11% 4.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Visalia, CA

$195 6.9% 19.2% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Visalia, CA

$64 2.3% 34% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Visalia, CA

$61 2.2% 26.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,502 in Visalia, 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 12% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $102 in Visalia, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $392 in Visalia, CA – so Visalia, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Visalia, CA

🕒 Local time

18:59 6:59 PM

16:59 4:59 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

130,104

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Visalia, CA 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,809 in Visalia, CA – Visalia, CA comes out roughly 9% 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 $4,213 in Visalia, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Visalia, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,502 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $102 in Visalia, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,809 in Visalia, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Visalia, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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