Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,434 in Hayward, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

166

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

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

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Hayward, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,434

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,434 per month in Hayward, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hayward, CA $3,434
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,718 per month in Hayward, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hayward, CA $4,718
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,003 per month in Hayward, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Hayward, CA $6,003
Chicago, IL $5,999

Hayward, CA costs about 13% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hayward, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Hayward, CA by 152%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$20.71 $20.71

-4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$89.2 $89.2

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 $10.57

$13.19 $13.19

-19.86%

Cappuccino

$4.71 $4.71

$5.66 $5.66

-16.78%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$2.64 $2.64

18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.28 $2.28

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.87 $6.87

-12.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 $7.54

$8.84 $8.84

-14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.25 $1.25

4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.72 $3.72

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$5.39 $5.39

8.35%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$4.74 $4.74

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.45 $26.45

$13.84 $13.84

91.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$14.40 $14.40

-47.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.99 $21.99

$18.38 $18.38

19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$5.22 $5.22

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.98 $1.98

29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$4.06 $4.06

53.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$4.97 $4.97

105.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.67 $2.67

35.96%

Onion (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.66 $2.66

77.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.24 $2.24

12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.13 $3.13

3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$13.82 $13.82

-14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 $12.93

$14.88 $14.88

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.54 $2.54

-31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.51 $3.51

-20.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.43 $2.43

24.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 $100.0

$73.5 $73.5

35.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.18 $3.18

11.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.39 $1.39

35.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.22 $39.22

$25.03 $25.03

56.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.20 $1.20

19.17%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.12%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.41%

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

$179 $179

$194 $194

-7.80%

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

$41.29 $41.29

$69.5 $69.5

-40.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$61.6 $61.6

23.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 $42.37

$47.90 $47.90

-11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 $15.30

$17.81 $17.81

-14.09%

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

$1,253 $1,253

$1,794 $1,794

-30.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

9.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.93 $49.93

$67.0 $67.0

-25.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 $70.9

$52.1 $52.1

36.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 $74.8

$102 $102

-26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$2,526 $2,526

-10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$1,578 $1,578

25.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 $3,446

$4,738 $4,738

-27.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 $2,769

$2,693 $2,693

2.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,467 $6,467

$4,190 $4,190

54.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,014 $6,014

$2,768 $2,768

117.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,713 $4,713

$4,931 $4,931

-4.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.15

6.81

-9.69%

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

Last update for Hayward, 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

Hayward, CA

$2K 57.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 20.5% $408

Groceries & Markets

Hayward, CA

$499 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.3% $51

Eating Out

Hayward, CA

$314 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.8% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hayward, CA

$296 8.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.8% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Hayward, CA

$141 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 16.2% $23

Getting Around

Hayward, CA

$125 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Hayward, CA

$73 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 14.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,264 in Hayward, 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 5% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Hayward, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $499 in Hayward, CA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hayward, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:10 2:10 AM

04:10 4:10 AM

2 h ahead of Hayward, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,203

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Hayward, CA Chicago, IL 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hayward, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,434 in Hayward, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,151 per month in Hayward, 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 Hayward, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,264 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Hayward, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Hayward, 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 $3,434 in Hayward, CA and $3,037 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 $3,037 versus $3,434 in Hayward, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.