Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in El Cerrito, CA and in Chicago, IL: $3,038 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

148

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

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

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El Cerrito, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,038

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,038 per month in El Cerrito, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Cerrito, CA $3,038
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,549 per month in El Cerrito, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Cerrito, CA $4,549
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,060 per month in El Cerrito, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Cerrito, CA $6,060
Chicago, IL $5,999

El Cerrito, CA and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.55 $24.55

$20.71 $20.71

18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$89.2 $89.2

24.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.21 $15.21

$13.19 $13.19

15.31%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$5.66 $5.66

1.41%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.64 $2.64

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.28 $2.28

11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$6.87 $6.87

18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$8.84 $8.84

-7.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.25 $1.25

16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.72 $3.72

15.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.39 $5.39

-10.76%

Eggs

$5.15 $5.15

$4.74 $4.74

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$13.84 $13.84

15.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$14.40 $14.40

-17.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$18.38 $18.38

-27.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$5.22 $5.22

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.98 $1.98

37.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.06 $4.06

5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$4.97 $4.97

21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.67 $2.67

26.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.66 $2.66

36.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.24 $2.24

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.13 $3.13

-16.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$13.82 $13.82

-13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 $12.78

$14.88 $14.88

-14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.54 $2.54

-17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.51 $3.51

-29.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.43 $2.43

-19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 $60.5

$73.5 $73.5

-17.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.18 $3.18

23.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.39 $1.39

47.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.49 $38.49

$25.03 $25.03

53.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.20 $1.20

29.17%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.53%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.18%

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

$140 $140

$194 $194

-28.20%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$69.5 $69.5

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$61.6 $61.6

22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.60 $34.60

$47.90 $47.90

-27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 $18.17

$17.81 $17.81

2.02%

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

$2,228 $2,228

$1,794 $1,794

24.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

-25.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 $52.4

$67.0 $67.0

-21.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.36 $40.36

$52.1 $52.1

-22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.63 $34.63

$102 $102

-65.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 $60.7

$144 $144

-57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 $1,876

$2,526 $2,526

-25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$1,578 $1,578

7.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,268 $3,268

$4,738 $4,738

-31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,890 $2,890

$2,693 $2,693

7.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 $2,942

$4,190 $4,190

-29.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,442 $2,442

$2,768 $2,768

-11.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,714 $5,714

$4,931 $4,931

15.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.81

-1.76%

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

Last update for El Cerrito, CA: October 26, 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 Cerrito, CA

$1.7K 56.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 7.3% $125

Groceries & Markets

El Cerrito, CA

$437 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 2.3% $10

Eating Out

El Cerrito, CA

$390 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11.6% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Cerrito, CA

$270 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 20.8% $56

Clothing & Footwear

El Cerrito, CA

$85 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 93.7% $79

Getting Around

El Cerrito, CA

$82 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 13.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

El Cerrito, CA

$71 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,876 in El Cerrito, 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.

Salaries run about 16% higher in El Cerrito, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in El Cerrito, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $437 in El Cerrito, CA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so El Cerrito, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 El Cerrito, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:42 6:42 AM

08:42 8:42 AM

2 h ahead of El Cerrito, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,508

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,557 per month in El Cerrito, 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 Cerrito, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,876 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $2,228 per month in El Cerrito, CA and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in El Cerrito, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,038 in El Cerrito, CA and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,038 in El Cerrito, 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, El Cerrito, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.