Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Eureka, CA: $2,476 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Eureka, CA
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Eureka, CA Living Index
147

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

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Eureka, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,476

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Eureka, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eureka, CA $2,476
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Eureka, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eureka, CA $2,740
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,005 per month in Eureka, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eureka, CA $3,005
Chicago, IL $5,999

Eureka, CA is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Eureka, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Eureka, CA by 82%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 $18.24

$20.71 $20.71

-11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 $70.4

$89.2 $89.2

-21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$13.19 $13.19

-9.33%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$5.66 $5.66

-4.59%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$2.64 $2.64

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.28 $2.28

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 $6.45

$6.87 $6.87

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$8.84 $8.84

-7.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.25 $1.25

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.72 $3.72

-8.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$5.39 $5.39

-15.77%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$4.74 $4.74

11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.37 $22.37

$13.84 $13.84

61.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$14.40 $14.40

2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.45 $21.45

$18.38 $18.38

16.70%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$5.22 $5.22

20.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.98 $1.98

26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.06 $4.06

71.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.97 $4.97

39.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.67 $2.67

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.66 $2.66

36.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.24 $2.24

36.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.13 $3.13

-33.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$13.82 $13.82

-14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 $12.23

$14.88 $14.88

-17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.54 $2.54

-16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.51 $3.51

-39.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.18 $3.18

25.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.39 $1.39

40.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.44 $29.44

$25.03 $25.03

17.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.20 $1.20

12.50%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.14%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.63%

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

$190 $190

$194 $194

-2.09%

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

$48.11 $48.11

$69.5 $69.5

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$61.6 $61.6

15.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$47.90 $47.90

-2.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 $14.44

$17.81 $17.81

-18.92%

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

$1,297 $1,297

$1,794 $1,794

-27.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

23.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$67.0 $67.0

-24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.27 $36.27

$52.1 $52.1

-30.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$102 $102

5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$144 $144

-12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 $1,385

$2,526 $2,526

-45.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 $1,120

$1,578 $1,578

-29.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 $2,368

$4,738 $4,738

-50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,309 $3,309

$4,190 $4,190

-21.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,282 $3,282

$2,768 $2,768

18.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,804 $3,804

$4,931 $4,931

-22.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.81

-6.75%

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

Last update for Eureka, CA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Eureka, CA

$1.1K 45.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 40.9% $458

Groceries & Markets

Eureka, CA

$497 20.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.9% $49

Eating Out

Eureka, CA

$317 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 8.7% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Eureka, CA

$310 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Eureka, CA

$144 5.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 14.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Eureka, CA

$76 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 10.6% $8

Getting Around

Eureka, CA

$14 * 0.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 580% $80

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,385 in Eureka, 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 30% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Eureka, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $497 in Eureka, CA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Eureka, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:28 1:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

2 h ahead of Eureka, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,191

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

Eureka, CA Chicago, IL 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Eureka, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,476 in Eureka, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Eureka, CA comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,714 per month in Eureka, 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 Eureka, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,385 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Eureka, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

Families tend to lean toward Eureka, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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