Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dana Point, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $4,372 in Dana Point, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

211

Cost of Living Index in Dana Point, CA
Learn more

Dana Point, CA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Dana Point, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,372

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,372 per month in Dana Point, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dana Point, CA $4,372
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,964 per month in Dana Point, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dana Point, CA $5,964
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $7,557 per month in Dana Point, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dana Point, CA $7,557
Chicago, IL $6,115

Dana Point, CA costs about 39% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Dana Point, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dana Point, CA by 223%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$20.65 $20.65

22.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.2 $90.2

11.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.52 $14.52

$12.94 $12.94

12.21%

Cappuccino

$6.04 $6.04

$5.60 $5.60

7.86%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.64 $2.64

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.27 $2.27

16.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$6.98 $6.98

13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.83 $8.83

12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.27 $1.27

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.80 $3.80

27.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.30 $5.30

-11.13%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$4.76 $4.76

-16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 $11.26

$13.96 $13.96

-19.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$14.61 $14.61

-7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

$18.77 $18.77

-16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.19 $5.19

-3.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.98 $1.98

11.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.93 $3.93

-10.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$4.96 $4.96

7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.76 $2.76

5.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.76 $2.76

0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.22 $2.22

-10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.98 $2.98

-18.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$14.02 $14.02

-14.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$15.28 $15.28

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.58 $2.58

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.50 $3.50

-20.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.34 $3.34

-5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.43 $1.43

32.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.63 $32.63

$24.32 $24.32

34.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.26 $1.26

1.59%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-6.26%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.03%

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

$255 $255

$193 $193

32.27%

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

$77.4 $77.4

$68.3 $68.3

13.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 $78.5

$61.3 $61.3

28.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 $41.94

$54.1 $54.1

-22.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 $20.15

$27.92 $27.92

-27.83%

Cinema Ticket

$19.64 $19.64

$17.74 $17.74

10.71%

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

$1,690 $1,690

$1,652 $1,652

2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K $32.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

4.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$66.1 $66.1

-1.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$51.2 $51.2

1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$100 $100

13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 $177

$141 $141

25.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,986 $2,986

$2,446 $2,446

22.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,847 $2,847

$1,678 $1,678

69.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,264 $5,264

$4,717 $4,717

11.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,148 $4,148

$2,795 $2,795

48.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,686 $2,686

$4,105 $4,105

-34.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,351 $2,351

$2,650 $2,650

-11.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,504 $7,504

$4,866 $4,866

54.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.81

-3.67%

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

Last update for Dana Point, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dana Point, CA

$2.8K 65.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 41.1% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Dana Point, CA

$426 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 5.5% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dana Point, CA

$411 9.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 21.5% $89

Eating Out

Dana Point, CA

$402 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 14.6% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Dana Point, CA

$184 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 12.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Dana Point, CA

$81 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 10.3% $8.4

Getting Around

Dana Point, CA

$21 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 359% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,986 in Dana Point, 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 54% higher in Dana Point, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Dana Point, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $426 in Dana Point, CA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Dana Point, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dana Point, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

02:36 2:36 AM

2 h ahead of Dana Point, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,351

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dana Point, CA Chicago, IL 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Dana Point, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,372 in Dana Point, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,557 per month in Dana Point, 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Dana Point, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Dana Point, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,372 in Dana Point, 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 $4,372 in Dana Point, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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