Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,976 in Colton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

191

Cost of Living Index in Colton, CA
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Colton, CA Living Index
152

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

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Colton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,976

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colton, CA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Colton, CA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,976 per month in Colton, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Colton, CA $3,976
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,426 per month in Colton, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Colton, CA $5,426
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,875 per month in Colton, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Colton, CA $6,875
Chicago, IL $6,115

Colton, CA costs about 27% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Colton, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Colton, CA by 193%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$20.65 $20.65

21.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$90.2 $90.2

-10.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$12.94 $12.94

16.23%

Cappuccino

$6.02 $6.02

$5.60 $5.60

7.50%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$2.64 $2.64

15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.27 $2.27

6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.98 $6.98

12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 $9.81

$8.83 $8.83

11.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

White Bread (500g)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.80 $3.80

30.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$5.30 $5.30

-15.09%

Eggs

$5.51 $5.51

$4.76 $4.76

15.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$13.96 $13.96

-18.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.16 $16.16

$14.61 $14.61

10.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.97 $19.97

$18.77 $18.77

6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.19 $5.19

0.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.98 $1.98

15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.93 $3.93

24.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.96 $4.96

11.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.76 $2.76

22.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.76 $2.76

1.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.22 $2.22

-8.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.98 $2.98

-18.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$14.02 $14.02

-15.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.28 $15.28

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.58 $2.58

8.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.50 $3.50

4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.16 $7.16

$2.47 $2.47

189.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 $80.5

$74.8 $74.8

7.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.34 $3.34

-5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.43 $1.43

25.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.60 $32.60

$24.32 $24.32

34.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.26 $1.26

15.87%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.12%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.97%

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

$266 $266

$193 $193

37.97%

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

$76.7 $76.7

$68.3 $68.3

12.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.9 $79.9

$61.3 $61.3

30.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 $35.47

$54.1 $54.1

-34.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$18.09 $18.09

$17.74 $17.74

1.97%

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

$1,203 $1,203

$1,652 $1,652

-27.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

4.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 $63.1

$66.1 $66.1

-4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.16 $48.16

$51.2 $51.2

-6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$100 $100

15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$141 $141

-14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 $1,896

$2,446 $2,446

-22.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,678 $1,678

39.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 $3,074

$4,717 $4,717

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,339 $3,339

$2,795 $2,795

19.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,778 $9,778

$4,105 $4,105

138.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,283 $8,283

$4,866 $4,866

70.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.81

-7.34%

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

Last update for Colton, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colton, CA

$2.3K 58.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 28.2% $659

Groceries & Markets

Colton, CA

$469 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.1% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colton, CA

$422 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 23.7% $100

Eating Out

Colton, CA

$399 10%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 14% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Colton, CA

$157 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 3% $4.8

Getting Around

Colton, CA

$121 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 21.6% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Colton, CA

$72 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 25.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,896 in Colton, CA versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. 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 70% higher in Colton, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Colton, CA versus $90 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $469 in Colton, CA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colton, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:48 3:48 PM

17:48 5:48 PM

2 h ahead of Colton, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,427

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Colton, CA Chicago, IL 2,730 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Colton, CA
Chicago, IL

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,976 in Colton, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,964 per month in Colton, CA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Colton, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,896 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Colton, CA, 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 $81 in Colton, CA and $90 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,976 in Colton, CA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,976 in Colton, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Colton, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.