Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,312 in Cupertino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cupertino, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

160

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
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Cupertino, CA Living Index
146

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

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Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,312

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,312 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $3,312
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $5,276 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $5,276
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $7,240 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $7,240
Chicago, IL $6,019

Cupertino, CA costs about 8% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Cupertino, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Cupertino, CA by 145%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.53 $24.53

$20.39 $20.39

20.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 $50.6

$88.6 $88.6

-42.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.85 $12.85

-23.50%

Cappuccino

$4.36 $4.36

$5.78 $5.78

-24.57%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$2.74 $2.74

-10.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.26 $2.26

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 $6.91

$6.88 $6.88

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 $7.89

$9.24 $9.24

-14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.26 $1.26

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.55 $3.55

-7.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.38 $5.38

-18.40%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$4.55 $4.55

12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$13.65 $13.65

-52.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$14.07 $14.07

-7.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$18.06 $18.06

-27.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.16 $5.16

-24.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.98 $1.98

8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.88 $3.88

-42.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.83 $4.83

-41.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.81 $2.81

-11.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.67 $2.67

14.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.07 $2.07

47.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$3.03 $3.03

-67.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$13.90 $13.90

-16.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$15.05 $15.05

-27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.63 $2.63

-28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.45 $3.45

-44.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.43 $2.43

22.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$75.3 $75.3

83.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.17 $3.17

-17.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.70 $1.70

21.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.19 $30.19

$24.90 $24.90

21.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.28 $1.28

19.53%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-20.41%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

0.65%

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

$255 $255

$192 $192

32.95%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$69.6 $69.6

-12.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$62.2 $62.2

7.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.70 $35.70

$47.79 $47.79

-25.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 $15.59

$17.83 $17.83

-12.56%

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

$2,160 $2,160

$1,815 $1,815

19.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K $32.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-20.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$66.2 $66.2

-14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 $34.98

$51.4 $51.4

-31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$103 $103

-12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 $58.6

$143 $143

-58.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,550 $2,550

$2,531 $2,531

0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 $1,908

$1,621 $1,621

17.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,080 $5,080

$4,828 $4,828

5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,349 $4,349

$2,734 $2,734

59.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,565 $7,565

$4,924 $4,924

53.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.78

-3.83%

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

Last update for Cupertino, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 15.1% $287

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cupertino, CA

$383 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 15.5% $59

Eating Out

Cupertino, CA

$347 10.5%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 0.9% $3

Groceries & Markets

Cupertino, CA

$336 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 30.7% $103

Getting Around

Cupertino, CA

$163 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 40.6% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 51% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Cupertino, CA

$67 2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 24.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,550 in Cupertino, CA versus $2,531 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 54% higher in Cupertino, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Cupertino, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $439 – making Cupertino, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:41 8:41 AM

10:41 10:41 AM

2 h ahead of Cupertino, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,302

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

Cupertino, CA Chicago, IL 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cupertino, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,312 in Cupertino, CA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,969 per month in Cupertino, CA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,550 in Cupertino, CA and $2,531 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Cupertino, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Cupertino, CA and $89 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 $3,312 in Cupertino, CA and $3,072 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,312 in Cupertino, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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