Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,831 in Walnut Creek, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
185

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Walnut Creek, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,831

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,831 in Walnut Creek, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Walnut Creek, CA $3,831

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,424 in Walnut Creek, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Walnut Creek, CA $5,424

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,018 in Walnut Creek, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Walnut Creek, CA $7,018

Chicago, IL is about 21% cheaper than Walnut Creek, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Walnut Creek, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Walnut Creek, CA by 181%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.98 $19.98

3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$90.9 $90.9

-1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.87 $14.87

-11.30%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.33 $5.33

6.19%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.04 $3.04

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.29 $2.29

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.76 $7.76

-11.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.90 $7.90

11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.40 $1.40

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.76 $3.76

-1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.39 $3.39

59.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.49 $5.49

-13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$26.19 $26.19

-47.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$18.22 $18.22

-20.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.60 $22.60

-18.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.79 $7.79

-32.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.26 $3.26

24.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.65 $6.65

-25.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.08 $1.08

147.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.01 $3.01

-11.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.57 $2.57

-12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.04 $3.04

2.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.84 $11.84

16.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.99 $19.99

-25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.29 $2.29

53.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$5.94 $5.94

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.1 $61.1

20.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.23 $3.23

-1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.45 $2.45

-43.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.99 $39.99

-37.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.51 $1.51

-20.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

24.94%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.73%

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

$194 $194

$186 $186

4.60%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$76.4 $76.4

-9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.1 $68.1

-9.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$129 $129

-62.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$14.85 $14.85

84.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.79 $14.79

20.42%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,221 $2,221

-19.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$36.4K $36.4K

-12.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$69.9 $69.9

-4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$60.9 $60.9

-14.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 $103

-1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$204 $204

-29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,626 $2,626

-3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,167 $2,167

-27.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,613 $4,613

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,253 $3,253

-17.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$7,008 $7,008

-40.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$5,398 $5,398

-48.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,745 $6,745

-26.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.58

3.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Walnut Creek, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Walnut Creek, CA

$2.2K 56.6% 37.3% $589

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Walnut Creek, CA

$533 13.9% 19.1% $85

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Walnut Creek, CA

$344 9% 0.2% $0.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Walnut Creek, CA

$330 8.6% 1.5% $4.9

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Walnut Creek, CA

$197 5.2% 20.4% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Walnut Creek, CA

$100 2.6% 7.5% $7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Walnut Creek, CA

$158 4.1% 89.7% $75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,626 in Walnut Creek, 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 37% higher in Walnut Creek, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $91 in Walnut Creek, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $533 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Walnut Creek, CA

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

01:33 1:33 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

70,166

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Walnut Creek, CA 2,950 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,831 in Walnut Creek, CA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,746 in Walnut Creek, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,626 in Walnut Creek, CA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Walnut Creek, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Walnut Creek, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,831 in Walnut Creek, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Walnut Creek, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.