Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Indio, CA: $1,082 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $24,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

52

Cost of Living Index in Indio, CA
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Indio, CA Living Index
152

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

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Indio, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,082

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,082 per month in Indio, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Indio, CA $1,082
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Indio, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Indio, CA $1,700
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $2,318 per month in Indio, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Indio, CA $2,318
Chicago, IL $6,115

Indio, CA is about 66% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Indio, CA sits 20% below the global median, while Chicago, IL is 132% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.38 $20.38

$20.65 $20.65

-1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.55 $49.55

$90.2 $90.2

-45.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 $14.96

$12.94 $12.94

15.61%

Cappuccino

$3.58 $3.58

$5.60 $5.60

-36.07%

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

$1.28 $1.28

$2.64 $2.64

-51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.27 $2.27

9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 $2.47

$6.98 $6.98

-64.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.83 $8.83

4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.27 $1.27

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.80 $3.80

5.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.30 $5.30

-9.25%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$4.76 $4.76

-1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$13.96 $13.96

-44.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$14.61 $14.61

-63.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$18.77 $18.77

-41.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.19 $5.19

-4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$3.93 $3.93

38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$4.96 $4.96

18.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.76 $2.76

34.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.76 $2.76

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.22 $2.22

-9.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.98 $2.98

-35.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$14.02 $14.02

-28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.28 $15.28

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.58 $2.58

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.50 $3.50

16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.47 $2.47

-40.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.34 $3.34

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.26 $1.26

8.73%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-17.55%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

4.27%

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

$168 $168

$193 $193

-12.56%

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

$67.7 $67.7

$68.3 $68.3

-0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 $58.7

$61.3 $61.3

-4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 $14.97

$17.74 $17.74

-15.61%

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

$1,890 $1,890

$1,652 $1,652

14.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$66.1 $66.1

-13.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 $39.63

$51.2 $51.2

-22.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 $51.0

$100 $100

-49.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 $70.5

$141 $141

-49.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$2,446 $2,446

1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,167 $4,167

$4,866 $4,866

-14.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.81

-6.17%

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

Last update for Indio, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Indio, CA

$353 32.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 27.5% $97

Eating Out

Indio, CA

$297 27.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 15.7% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Indio, CA

$295 27.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.3% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Indio, CA

$98 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 63.9% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Indio, CA

$30 * 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 199% $60

Getting Around

Indio, CA

$9.8 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 870% $85

Accommodation & Living

Indio, CA

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,478 in Indio, CA versus $2,446 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 17% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $50.0 in Indio, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $449 – making Indio, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Indio, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

12:11 12:11 PM

2 h ahead of Indio, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,137

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Indio, CA Chicago, IL 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Indio, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,082 in Indio, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 190% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,623 per month in Indio, CA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Indio, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Indio, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,082 in Indio, CA and $3,139 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 $1,082 in Indio, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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