Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,813 in Dublin, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Dublin, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

186

Cost of Living Index in Dublin, CA
Learn more

Dublin, CA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Dublin, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,813

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,813 per month in Dublin, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dublin, CA $3,813
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,432 per month in Dublin, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dublin, CA $5,432
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $7,050 per month in Dublin, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dublin, CA $7,050
Chicago, IL $6,115

Dublin, CA costs about 21% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Dublin, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dublin, CA by 181%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.80 $20.80

$20.65 $20.65

0.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$90.2 $90.2

-28.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$12.94 $12.94

-13.91%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$5.60 $5.60

-5.71%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.27 $2.27

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.98 $6.98

1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$8.83 $8.83

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.27 $1.27

29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.80 $3.80

16.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.30 $5.30

-23.21%

Eggs

$5.86 $5.86

$4.76 $4.76

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$13.96 $13.96

-52.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$14.61 $14.61

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.22 $22.22

$18.77 $18.77

18.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.19 $5.19

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.98 $1.98

2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.93 $3.93

40.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.96 $4.96

-9.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.76 $2.76

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.76 $2.76

-22.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 $2.22

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.98 $2.98

-14.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.57 $11.57

$14.02 $14.02

-17.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$15.28 $15.28

2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.58 $2.58

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.50 $3.50

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.47 $2.47

25.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 $89.7

$74.8 $74.8

19.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.34 $3.34

6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.43 $1.43

111.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.19 $30.19

$24.32 $24.32

24.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.26 $1.26

11.90%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

4.49%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.29%

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

$124 $124

$193 $193

-35.72%

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

$48.57 $48.57

$68.3 $68.3

-28.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.6 $81.6

$61.3 $61.3

33.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 $34.51

$54.1 $54.1

-36.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.94 $34.94

$27.92 $27.92

25.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$17.74 $17.74

-14.83%

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

$1,797 $1,797

$1,652 $1,652

8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K $39.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

25.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$66.1 $66.1

-10.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$51.2 $51.2

1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$100 $100

-20.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$141 $141

-15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,822 $2,822

$2,446 $2,446

15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,678 $1,678

46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,530 $4,530

$4,717 $4,717

-3.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,002 $4,002

$2,795 $2,795

43.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K $12.9K

$4,105 $4,105

213.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

$2,650 $2,650

307.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,418 $6,418

$4,866 $4,866

31.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.81

-2.06%

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

Last update for Dublin, 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

Dublin, CA

$2.5K 64.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 31.7% $779

Groceries & Markets

Dublin, CA

$445 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 1% $4.4

Eating Out

Dublin, CA

$333 8.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 3.3% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dublin, CA

$254 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 26.9% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Dublin, CA

$139 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 15.7% $22

Getting Around

Dublin, CA

$121 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 21.2% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Dublin, CA

$65 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 38.4% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,822 in Dublin, 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 32% higher in Dublin, 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 $65.0 in Dublin, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $449 – making Dublin, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dublin, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

00:22 12:22 AM

2 h ahead of Dublin, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,328

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

Dublin, CA Chicago, IL 2,950 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Dublin, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,813 in Dublin, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,720 per month in Dublin, 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Dublin, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Dublin, CA and $90.0 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 $3,813 in Dublin, 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 $3,813 in Dublin, 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, Dublin, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.