Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Westminster, CA: $2,865 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 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 Westminster, CA
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Westminster, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Westminster, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,865

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,865 in Westminster, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Westminster, CA $2,865

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,075 in Westminster, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Westminster, CA $4,075

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,285 in Westminster, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Westminster, CA $5,285

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Westminster, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Westminster, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Westminster, CA by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$25.47 $25.47

-19.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$78.4 $78.4

12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.32 $11.32

13.52%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.75 $5.75

0.52%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.71 $2.71

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.03 $2.03

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.33 $7.33

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$10.12 $10.12

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.14 $1.14

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$5.03 $5.03

-29.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.29 $4.29

25.41%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.01 $5.01

-9.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.25 $12.25

11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.94 $8.94

57.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.10 $14.10

28.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.86 $4.86

6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.79 $1.79

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.01 $4.01

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.49 $5.49

-12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.50 $3.50

-19.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.19 $3.19

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.17 $2.17

-4.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.31 $2.31

31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.84 $11.84

17.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.11 $15.11

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.68 $1.68

56.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.64 $3.64

-5.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.25 $2.25

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$63.8 $63.8

17.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.58 $4.58

-30.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.88 $1.88

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$35.77 $35.77

-30.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.58 $1.58

-18.99%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

31.62%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.04%

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

$192 $192

$216 $216

-11.08%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$71.0 $71.0

-2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.2 $69.2

-10.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$36.41 $36.41

31.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.84 $11.84

50.59%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,197 $1,197

51.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$12.6K $12.6K

222.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$74.0 $74.0

-10.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$48.28 $48.28

6.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$106 $106

-2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$102 $102

39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,570 $1,570

61.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,430 $1,430

13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,361 $2,361

104.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,140 $2,140

27.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,671 $2,671

55.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,175 $2,175

25.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,390 $4,390

12.15%

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 Westminster, 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%

Westminster, CA

$1.4K 49.9% 11.8% $191

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Westminster, CA

$400 14% 8.8% $39

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Westminster, CA

$383 13.4% 11.2% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Westminster, CA

$356 12.4% 10% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Westminster, CA

$149 5.2% 9% $15

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Westminster, CA

$87 3% 10.2% $9.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Westminster, CA

$60 2.1% 28% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,570 in Westminster, 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 $78 in Westminster, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $400 – making Westminster, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Westminster, CA

🕒 Local time

10:21 10:21 AM

08:21 8:21 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

110,945

💱 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 Westminster, CA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,865 in Westminster, CA – Westminster, CA comes out roughly 7% 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 $4,298 in Westminster, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Westminster, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,570 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $78 in Westminster, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Westminster, 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 Westminster, 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.