Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Canterbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Canterbury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Chico, CA versus $2,552 in Canterbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,963 in Chico, CA versus $3,812 in Canterbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,299 in Chico, CA versus $5,071 in Canterbury.

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 3% more expensive than in Canterbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chico, CA 97% above, Canterbury 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$27.09 £20.17

-6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 $60.9

$82.1 £61.1

-25.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.38 £7.73

27.17%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$4.36 £3.25

35.09%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.74 £1.29

43.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.65 £1.23

31.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$6.56 £4.88

9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 $8.65

$6.23 £4.64

38.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.42 £1.05

-5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.31 £0.97

182.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.92 £1.43

82.29%

Eggs

$5.61 $5.61

$3.63 £2.70

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$9.85 £7.34

35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 $10.60

$8.06 £6.00

31.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$12.84 £9.56

30.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$2.66 £1.98

107.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.49 £1.11

49.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.66 £1.98

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.75 £2.04

102.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.43 £1.07

222.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.45 £1.08

141.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.73 £0.54

201.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.51 £1.12

51.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 $7.79

$20.61 £15.35

-62.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$15.77 £11.74

-24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.23 £1.66

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.47 £3.33

21.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.30 £2.46

-11.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.53 $34.53

$224 £167

-84.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$5.28 £3.93

-32.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.53 £1.14

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.34 $40.34

$15.12 £11.26

166.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.92 £1.43

-33.85%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$39.1K £29.1K

-39.47%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$41.8K £31.1K

-41.62%

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

$192 $192

$226 £168

-14.79%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$18.77 £13.97

183.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$44.22 £32.92

59.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 $62.1

$46.56 £34.66

33.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.62 £27.26

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$13.68 £10.19

0.44%

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

$1,834 $1,834

$1,113 £829

64.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K $37.3K

$16.1K £12.0K

131.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$82.6 £61.5

-29.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.30 $31.30

$49.62 £36.94

-36.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 $78.7

$110 £81.8

-28.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 $98.1

$98.6 £73.4

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$1,363 £1,015

7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 $1,192

$1,170 £871

1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,755 $2,755

$2,192 £1,632

25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 $2,294

$1,833 £1,365

25.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 $3,245

$5,245 £3,905

-38.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,971 $2,971

$4,388 £3,267

-32.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,857 $3,857

$3,261 £2,428

18.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.53

18.44%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,459 in Chico, CA and $1,363 in Canterbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Chico, CA vs $82.0 in Canterbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $414 vs $284, with Canterbury cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chico, CA vs Canterbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Canterbury wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Chico, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Canterbury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Chico, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,459 in Chico, CA versus $1,363 in Canterbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,834 in Chico, CA versus $1,113 in Canterbury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Chico, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,552 in Canterbury versus $2,626 in Chico, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Canterbury but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Canterbury the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chico, CA and Canterbury are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Canterbury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.