Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yreka, CA: $2,688 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Yreka, CA
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Yreka, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Yreka, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,688

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,688 in Yreka, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Yreka, CA $2,688

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,872 in Yreka, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Yreka, CA $3,872

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,056 in Yreka, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Yreka, CA $5,056

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Yreka, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Yreka, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Yreka, CA by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.69 $17.69

17.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.2 $75.2

18.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.12 $11.12

18.62%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.11 $5.11

10.76%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.83 $2.83

-6.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.01 $2.01

13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.96 $5.96

15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.95 $5.95

48.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.86 $3.86

-3.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.33 $5.33

1.13%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.81 $3.81

24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.10 $10.10

37.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.93 $13.93

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.56 $19.56

-6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.79 $3.79

37.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 $1.67

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.75 $3.75

8.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.33 $3.33

49.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.10 $2.10

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.19 $2.19

21.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.99 $1.99

12.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.94 $1.94

61.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.54 $11.54

19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.41 $13.41

10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.56 $3.56

-1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.83 $1.83

32.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$62.4 $62.4

17.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.98 $4.98

-36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.29 $1.29

7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.51 $30.51

-17.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.30 $1.30

-7.69%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

38.25%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.4K $24.4K

9.26%

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

$194 $194

$150 $150

29.38%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$45.52 $45.52

52.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.3 $64.3

-4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.68 $36.68

30.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.88 $13.88

28.31%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,239 $1,239

44.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.3K $12.3K

159.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.2 $58.2

15.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.77 $44.77

16.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.6 $97.6

4.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$104 $104

38.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,669 $1,669

51.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,458 $1,458

8.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,355 $2,355

101.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,283 $2,283

17.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,123 $3,123

34.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,479 $2,479

11.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,064 $2,064

138.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Yreka, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Yreka, CA

$1.5K 54.2% 7.6% $120

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Yreka, CA

$390 14.5% 12.9% $58

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Yreka, CA

$297 11.1% 13.8% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Yreka, CA

$260 9.7% 20.1% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Yreka, CA

$137 5.1% 16.4% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Yreka, CA

$81 3% 13.2% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Yreka, CA

$64 2.4% 22.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,669 in Yreka, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $75 in Yreka, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $390 – making Yreka, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Yreka, CA

🕒 Local time

13:41 1:41 PM

11:41 11:41 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

7,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Yreka, CA 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,688 in Yreka, CA – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,032 in Yreka, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yreka, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,669 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Yreka, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,688 in Yreka, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Yreka, 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 Yreka, 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.