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 $2,642 in Canterbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,916 in Chico, CA versus $3,812 in Canterbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,206 in Chico, CA versus $4,982 in Canterbury.

Living in Chico, CA costs roughly 1% less than in Canterbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chico, CA 96% above, Canterbury 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.94 $24.94

$26.42 £19.69

-5.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 $59.4

$80.4 £59.9

-26.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 $12.97

$10.38 £7.73

24.95%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$4.45 £3.32

32.36%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.77 £1.32

42.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.70 £1.27

28.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$6.83 £5.09

2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.39 $8.39

$6.08 £4.53

37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.43 £1.06

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.35 £1.01

168.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.92 £1.43

89.06%

Eggs

$5.41 $5.41

$3.63 £2.70

49.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$10.18 £7.58

30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 $10.61

$8.05 £6.00

31.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$13.00 £9.69

29.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.66 £1.98

112.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.49 £1.11

45.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.68 £2.00

47.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.71 £2.02

108.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.48 £1.10

208.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.45 £1.08

140.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.72 £0.53

197.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.56 £1.17

52.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 $8.22

$20.76 £15.46

-60.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$15.94 £11.88

-24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.34 £1.74

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 $5.34

$4.46 £3.32

19.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.44 £2.56

-14.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.48 $35.48

$225 £168

-84.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.24 £3.90

-34.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.60 £1.19

23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 $39.63

$15.19 £11.31

160.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.94 £1.45

-38.14%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$37.8K £28.1K

-37.31%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$41.1K £30.6K

-38.92%

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

$188 $188

$229 £170

-17.99%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$19.48 £14.51

171.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$43.21 £32.19

65.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 $60.5

$46.02 £34.29

31.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.44 £27.89

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 $13.90

$13.33 £9.93

4.28%

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

$1,867 $1,867

$1,132 £843

65.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.1K $38.1K

$16.4K £12.2K

132.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$83.0 £61.8

-29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 $31.99

$50.1 £37.34

-36.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$111 £82.9

-28.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 $98.4

$98.5 £73.4

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 $1,447

$1,357 £1,011

6.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 $1,223

$1,170 £871

4.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$2,191 £1,633

25.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 $2,259

$1,853 £1,380

21.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,247 $3,247

$5,210 £3,881

-37.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,994 $2,994

$4,419 £3,292

-32.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,867 $3,867

$3,101 £2,310

24.71%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,447 in Chico, CA and $1,357 in Canterbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Chico, CA vs $80.0 in Canterbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $415 vs $288, 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

Chico, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Canterbury. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chico, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chico, CA pays 25% more on average, 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: $1,447 in Chico, CA versus $1,357 in Canterbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,867 in Chico, CA versus $1,132 in Canterbury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Canterbury pay roughly 44% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Chico, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Chico, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Canterbury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.