Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Walnut, CA: $2,733 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Walnut, CA
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Walnut, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Walnut, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,733 in Walnut, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Walnut, CA $2,733

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,922 in Walnut, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Walnut, CA $3,922

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,111 in Walnut, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Walnut, CA $5,111

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Walnut, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Walnut, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Walnut, CA by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.98 $19.98

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$79.0 $79.0

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$15.16 $15.16

-15.24%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$6.20 $6.20

-6.77%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.46 $3.46

-20.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.39 $2.39

-5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.43 $7.43

-7.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.57 $9.57

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.05 $1.05

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.03 $4.03

-11.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.77 $4.77

12.79%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.73 $4.73

-3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.19 $13.19

3.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$20.43 $20.43

-31.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.61 $15.61

15.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.89 $4.89

5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 $1.66

19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.38 $5.38

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.86 $5.86

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.73 $3.73

-24.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.23 $2.23

19.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.03 $2.03

1.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.85 $1.85

63.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.60 $11.60

19.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.91 $14.91

0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.99 $1.99

32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.14 $4.14

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.02 $2.02

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.9 $60.9

23.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.06 $3.06

3.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.82 $1.82

-6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$36.12 $36.12

-31.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.61 $1.61

-20.50%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.9K $28.9K

23.99%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.03%

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

$192 $192

$168 $168

14.52%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$67.7 $67.7

2.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$58.9 $58.9

5.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$43.85 $43.85

8.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.21 $15.21

17.23%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,937 $1,937

-6.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$17.8K $17.8K

128.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$57.6 $57.6

14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.49 $39.49

30.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$93.6 $93.6

10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$146 $146

-2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,369 $1,369

84.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,315 $1,315

23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,722 $2,722

77.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,933 $1,933

41.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,536 $2,536

64.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,249 $2,249

21.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

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 Walnut, CA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Walnut, CA

$1.3K 48.1% 18.9% $306

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Walnut, CA

$457 16.7% 4% $17

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Walnut, CA

$359 13.2% 4.5% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Walnut, CA

$294 10.8% 9.1% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Walnut, CA

$152 5.6% 7.3% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Walnut, CA

$81 3% 16.1% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Walnut, CA

$74 2.7% 11% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,369 in Walnut, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Walnut, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $457 in Walnut, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Walnut, CA

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

15:55 3:55 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

31,294

💱 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 Walnut, CA 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,733 in Walnut, CA – Walnut, CA comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,099 in Walnut, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Walnut, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,369 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Walnut, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,733 in Walnut, 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 $2,733 in Walnut, CA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.