Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Quinta, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in La Quinta, CA: $2,756 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in La Quinta, CA
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La Quinta, CA Living Index
147

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

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La Quinta, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,756

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,756 per month in La Quinta, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Quinta, CA $2,756
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,046 per month in La Quinta, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Quinta, CA $4,046
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,336 per month in La Quinta, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Quinta, CA $5,336
Chicago, IL $5,999

La Quinta, CA is about 9% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both La Quinta, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – La Quinta, CA by 102%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 $20.06

$20.71 $20.71

-3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$89.2 $89.2

-8.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$13.19 $13.19

-24.87%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$5.66 $5.66

3.89%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$2.64 $2.64

-23.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.28 $2.28

-9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 $6.96

$6.87 $6.87

1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.87 $9.87

$8.84 $8.84

11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

White Bread (500g)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.72 $3.72

21.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.39 $5.39

-12.62%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$4.74 $4.74

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$13.84 $13.84

-17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$14.40 $14.40

9.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.39 $19.39

$18.38 $18.38

5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$5.22 $5.22

-3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.98 $1.98

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.06 $4.06

19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.97 $4.97

9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.67 $2.67

22.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.66 $2.66

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$3.13 $3.13

-42.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.96 $11.96

$13.82 $13.82

-13.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$14.88 $14.88

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.54 $2.54

20.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.51 $3.51

-20.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 $61.9

$73.5 $73.5

-15.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.18 $3.18

-3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.39 $1.39

34.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.85 $31.85

$25.03 $25.03

27.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.20 $1.20

26.67%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

0.40%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.09%

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

$282 $282

$194 $194

45.18%

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

$76.4 $76.4

$69.5 $69.5

10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 $80.1

$61.6 $61.6

29.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 $41.39

$47.90 $47.90

-13.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$17.81 $17.81

-15.05%

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

$807 $807

$1,794 $1,794

-55.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

1.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$67.0 $67.0

-24.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 $29.05

$52.1 $52.1

-44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 $56.1

$102 $102

-44.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$144 $144

-27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$2,526 $2,526

-36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$1,578 $1,578

-19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,477 $2,477

$4,738 $4,738

-47.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 $2,166

$2,693 $2,693

-19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 $2,685

$4,190 $4,190

-35.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$2,768 $2,768

-15.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.81

0.73%

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

Last update for La Quinta, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Quinta, CA

$1.3K 46.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.5% $301

Groceries & Markets

La Quinta, CA

$445 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 0.4% $1.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Quinta, CA

$439 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 25.8% $113

Eating Out

La Quinta, CA

$332 12%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

La Quinta, CA

$108 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 51.7% $56

Getting Around

La Quinta, CA

$82 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 13.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

La Quinta, CA

$72 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 16.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in La Quinta, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in La Quinta, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $447 – making La Quinta, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 La Quinta, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

08:04 8:04 AM

2 h ahead of La Quinta, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,558

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

La Quinta, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,756 in La Quinta, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,133 per month in La Quinta, 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 La Quinta, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,611 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in La Quinta, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in La Quinta, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

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