Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Foster City, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $4,255 in Foster City, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

206

Cost of Living Index in Foster City, CA
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Foster City, CA Living Index
146

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

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Foster City, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,255

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,255 per month in Foster City, CA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Foster City, CA $4,255
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,028 per month in Foster City, CA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Foster City, CA $4,028
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $3,801 per month in Foster City, CA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Foster City, CA $3,801
Chicago, IL $6,019

Foster City, CA costs about 39% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Foster City, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Foster City, CA by 215%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.11 $25.11

$20.39 $20.39

23.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$88.6 $88.6

25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$12.85 $12.85

-8.17%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$5.78 $5.78

0.17%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.74 $2.74

12.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.26 $2.26

21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$6.88 $6.88

14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$9.24 $9.24

-15.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.26 $1.26

13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.55 $3.55

38.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$5.38 $5.38

-60.04%

Eggs

$6.23 $6.23

$4.55 $4.55

36.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$13.65 $13.65

11.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.11 $13.11

$14.07 $14.07

-6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.12 $23.12

$18.06 $18.06

28.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.16 $5.16

51.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.98 $1.98

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$3.88 $3.88

66.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$4.83 $4.83

-32.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.81 $2.81

19.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.67 $2.67

1.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.07 $2.07

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.03 $3.03

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$13.90 $13.90

-14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.02 $20.02

$15.05 $15.05

33.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.63 $2.63

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.45 $3.45

17.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.43 $2.43

50.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$188 $188

$75.3 $75.3

149.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.17 $3.17

1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.70 $1.70

8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$24.90 $24.90

17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.28 $1.28

25.78%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.23%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-1.32%

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

$267 $267

$192 $192

39.09%

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

$49.28 $49.28

$69.6 $69.6

-29.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$62.2 $62.2

7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 $111

$47.79 $47.79

132.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 $16.31

$17.83 $17.83

-8.52%

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

$2,485 $2,485

$1,815 $1,815

36.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K $42.4K

$40.6K $40.6K

4.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.13 $47.13

$66.2 $66.2

-28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 $30.55

$51.4 $51.4

-40.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 $66.4

$103 $103

-35.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.98 $49.98

$143 $143

-64.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,053 $3,053

$2,531 $2,531

20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 $2,563

$1,621 $1,621

58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$4,163 $4,163

162.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,616 $9,616

$2,723 $2,723

253.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,798 $6,798

$4,924 $4,924

38.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.78

0.59%

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

Last update for Foster City, CA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Foster City, CA

$2.6K 60.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 36.8% $942

Groceries & Markets

Foster City, CA

$478 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 8.1% $39

Eating Out

Foster City, CA

$384 9%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 10.4% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Foster City, CA

$383 9%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 15.5% $60

Getting Around

Foster City, CA

$215 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 55% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Foster City, CA

$144 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 42% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Foster City, CA

$87 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 87.3% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,053 in Foster City, CA versus $2,531 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 38% higher in Foster City, 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 $111 in Foster City, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $478 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Foster City, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:29 2:29 PM

16:29 4:29 PM

2 h ahead of Foster City, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,567

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Foster City, CA Chicago, IL 2,980 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Foster City, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,255 in Foster City, CA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,382 per month in Foster City, CA and $4,608 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,531 there versus $3,053 in Foster City, CA.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Foster City, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in Foster City, 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 $4,255 in Foster City, CA and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,072 versus $4,255 in Foster City, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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