Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elk Grove, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,270 in Elk Grove, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

203

Cost of Living Index in Elk Grove, CA
Learn more

Elk Grove, CA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Elk Grove, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,270

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Elk Grove, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elk Grove, CA $4,270
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,137 per month in Elk Grove, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elk Grove, CA $6,137
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $8,003 per month in Elk Grove, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Elk Grove, CA $8,003
Chicago, IL $5,999

Elk Grove, CA costs about 41% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Elk Grove, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Elk Grove, CA by 214%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.20 $22.20

$20.71 $20.71

7.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 $64.4

$89.2 $89.2

-27.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$13.19 $13.19

-9.70%

Cappuccino

$7.10 $7.10

$5.66 $5.66

25.44%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$2.64 $2.64

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.28 $2.28

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.63 $10.63

$6.87 $6.87

54.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.69 $10.69

$8.84 $8.84

20.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.25 $1.25

26.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.72 $3.72

11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.39 $5.39

64.01%

Eggs

$5.64 $5.64

$4.74 $4.74

18.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 $17.70

$13.84 $13.84

27.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.44 $30.44

$14.40 $14.40

111.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.66 $27.66

$18.38 $18.38

50.49%

Apples (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$5.22 $5.22

82.57%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.98 $1.98

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.98 $9.98

$4.06 $4.06

145.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.45 $8.45

$4.97 $4.97

70.02%

Potato (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$2.67 $2.67

183.52%

Onion (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.66 $2.66

123.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.24 $2.24

32.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.13 $3.13

-34.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 $13.22

$13.82 $13.82

-4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.40 $21.40

$14.88 $14.88

43.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.77 $8.77

$3.51 $3.51

149.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.94 $7.94

$2.43 $2.43

226.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$73.5 $73.5

106.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.18 $3.18

115.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.39 $1.39

164.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.20 $1.20

14.17%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-11.15%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-14.08%

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

$252 $252

$194 $194

29.77%

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

$110 $110

$69.5 $69.5

58.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 $133

$61.6 $61.6

115.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$47.90 $47.90

113.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.16 $25.16

$27.34 $27.34

-7.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.81 $17.81

-0.39%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,794 $1,794

-18.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K $18.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-43.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$67.0 $67.0

36.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.9 $90.9

$52.1 $52.1

74.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$173 $173

$102 $102

70.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$144 $144

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 $2,318

$2,526 $2,526

-8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 $2,132

$1,578 $1,578

35.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,335 $3,335

$4,738 $4,738

-29.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,461 $3,461

$2,693 $2,693

28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,934 $3,934

$4,190 $4,190

-6.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 $3,172

$2,768 $2,768

14.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,595 $7,595

$4,931 $4,931

54.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.81

-4.11%

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

Last update for Elk Grove, 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

Elk Grove, CA

$2.1K 49.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 26% $554

Groceries & Markets

Elk Grove, CA

$684 * 16%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 34.6% $237

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elk Grove, CA

$495 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 34.3% $170

Eating Out

Elk Grove, CA

$392 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 12.1% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Elk Grove, CA

$219 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 25.3% $55

Getting Around

Elk Grove, CA

$209 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 55.3% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Elk Grove, CA

$138 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 39.4% $54

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,318 in Elk Grove, 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 54% higher in Elk Grove, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Elk Grove, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $684 in Elk Grove, CA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elk Grove, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

17:28 5:28 PM

2 h ahead of Elk Grove, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

166,913

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Elk Grove, CA Chicago, IL 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Elk Grove, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,270 in Elk Grove, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,405 per month in Elk Grove, CA and $4,555 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 $2,318 in Elk Grove, CA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Elk Grove, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Elk Grove, 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 $4,270 in Elk Grove, 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 $4,270 in Elk Grove, 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, Elk Grove, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.