Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Centro, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in El Centro, CA: $2,700 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in El Centro, CA
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El Centro, CA Living Index
147

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

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El Centro, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,700

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,700 per month in El Centro, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Centro, CA $2,700
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,848 per month in El Centro, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Centro, CA $3,848
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,996 per month in El Centro, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Centro, CA $4,996
Chicago, IL $5,999

El Centro, CA is about 11% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both El Centro, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – El Centro, CA by 98%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.62 $13.62

$20.71 $20.71

-34.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.97 $44.97

$89.2 $89.2

-49.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 $11.39

$13.19 $13.19

-13.65%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$5.66 $5.66

-13.60%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.64 $2.64

-3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.28 $2.28

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$6.87 $6.87

-28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$8.84 $8.84

-10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.25 $1.25

-7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.72 $3.72

58.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.39 $5.39

-18.92%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$4.74 $4.74

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 $12.67

$13.84 $13.84

-8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.39 $20.39

$14.40 $14.40

41.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 $13.90

$18.38 $18.38

-24.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$5.22 $5.22

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.98 $1.98

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.06 $4.06

5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$4.97 $4.97

35.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.67 $2.67

36.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.66 $2.66

30.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.24 $2.24

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.13 $3.13

-26.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$13.82 $13.82

-15.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.88 $14.88

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.51 $3.51

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.43 $2.43

-7.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.6 $58.6

$73.5 $73.5

-20.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.18 $3.18

40.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.39 $1.39

35.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.36 $35.36

$25.03 $25.03

41.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.20 $1.20

27.50%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.79%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.60%

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

$216 $216

$194 $194

10.91%

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

$72.1 $72.1

$69.5 $69.5

3.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$61.6 $61.6

14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.32 $34.32

$47.90 $47.90

-28.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$17.81 $17.81

-33.18%

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

$1,895 $1,895

$1,794 $1,794

5.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K $42.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

33.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 $72.7

$67.0 $67.0

8.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 $40.38

$52.1 $52.1

-22.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$102 $102

-22.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$144 $144

20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$2,526 $2,526

-44.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 $1,300

$1,578 $1,578

-17.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$4,738 $4,738

-52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 $2,076

$2,693 $2,693

-22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,709 $2,709

$4,190 $4,190

-35.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,661 $2,661

$2,768 $2,768

-3.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for El Centro, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

El Centro, CA

$1.3K 48.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 21.3% $278

Groceries & Markets

El Centro, CA

$477 17.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 6.2% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Centro, CA

$358 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.1% $33

Eating Out

El Centro, CA

$260 9.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 32.6% $85

Clothing & Footwear

El Centro, CA

$164 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 0.2% $0.3

Getting Around

El Centro, CA

$81 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 14.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

El Centro, CA

$58 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 43.7% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,401 in El Centro, CA versus $2,526 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in El Centro, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $477 in El Centro, CA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 El Centro, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:42 10:42 AM

12:42 12:42 PM

2 h ahead of El Centro, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,322

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

El Centro, CA Chicago, IL 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

El Centro, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,700 in El Centro, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 12% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,049 per month in El Centro, CA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Centro, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,401 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chicago, IL – 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 $45 in El Centro, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in El Centro, CA, where all-in costs run around $2,700, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In El Centro, CA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,700 in El Centro, CA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.