Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fresno, CA: $2,811 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

136

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

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

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Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,811

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Fresno, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fresno, CA $2,811
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,028 per month in Fresno, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fresno, CA $4,028
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Fresno, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fresno, CA $5,244
Chicago, IL $5,999

Fresno, CA is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fresno, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fresno, CA by 107%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$20.71 $20.71

-4.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 $71.0

$89.2 $89.2

-20.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.89 $13.89

$13.19 $13.19

5.31%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$5.66 $5.66

-10.78%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$2.64 $2.64

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.28 $2.28

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$6.87 $6.87

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.12 $9.12

$8.84 $8.84

3.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.25 $1.25

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.72 $3.72

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.39 $5.39

-12.80%

Eggs

$5.47 $5.47

$4.74 $4.74

15.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$13.84 $13.84

-20.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$14.40 $14.40

-32.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$18.38 $18.38

-15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.22 $5.22

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.98 $1.98

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.06 $4.06

9.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.97 $4.97

-31.79%

Potato (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$2.67 $2.67

196.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.66 $2.66

2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.24 $2.24

4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.13 $3.13

-4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$13.82 $13.82

-15.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 $17.73

$14.88 $14.88

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.54 $2.54

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 $6.56

$3.51 $3.51

86.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.43 $2.43

-59.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.47 $44.47

$73.5 $73.5

-39.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.18 $3.18

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.39 $1.39

10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.17 $27.17

$25.03 $25.03

8.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.20 $1.20

22.50%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.81%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

3.99%

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

$237 $237

$194 $194

22.11%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$69.5 $69.5

-24.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$61.6 $61.6

25.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 $33.14

$47.90 $47.90

-30.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.19 $42.19

$27.34 $27.34

54.32%

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 $17.41

$17.81 $17.81

-2.25%

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

$1,191 $1,191

$1,794 $1,794

-33.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K $13.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-59.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 $60.2

$67.0 $67.0

-10.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.07 $43.07

$52.1 $52.1

-17.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 $95.0

$102 $102

-6.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$144 $144

19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$2,526 $2,526

-37.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 $1,403

$1,578 $1,578

-11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$4,738 $4,738

-53.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$2,693 $2,693

-18.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,602 $2,602

$4,190 $4,190

-37.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,070 $3,070

$2,768 $2,768

10.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,818 $3,818

$4,931 $4,931

-22.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.81

-6.02%

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

Last update for Fresno, 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

Fresno, CA

$1.4K 49.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 12.5% $175

Groceries & Markets

Fresno, CA

$413 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.4% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fresno, CA

$367 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 11.3% $42

Eating Out

Fresno, CA

$334 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3.4% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Fresno, CA

$166 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 1.5% $2.4

Sport & Entertainment

Fresno, CA

$68 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 22.9% $16

Getting Around

Fresno, CA

$60 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 54.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in Fresno, 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 29% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Fresno, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $447 – making Fresno, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:17 7:17 AM

09:17 9:17 AM

2 h ahead of Fresno, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

520,052

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

Fresno, CA Chicago, IL 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Fresno, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,811 in Fresno, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Fresno, CA comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,217 per month in Fresno, 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 Fresno, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Fresno, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,811 in Fresno, CA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fresno, 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 Fresno, 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.