Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Forest, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Lake Forest, CA and in Chicago, IL: $3,057 and $3,072 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Lake Forest, CA
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Lake Forest, CA Living Index
146

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

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Lake Forest, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,057

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,057 per month in Lake Forest, CA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lake Forest, CA $3,057
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Lake Forest, CA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lake Forest, CA $4,627
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $6,196 per month in Lake Forest, CA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lake Forest, CA $6,196
Chicago, IL $6,019

Lake Forest, CA and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Lake Forest, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lake Forest, CA by 126%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$20.39 $20.39

20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$88.6 $88.6

12.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 $11.72

$12.85 $12.85

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$5.78 $5.78

1.04%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.74 $2.74

11.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.26 $2.26

7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.68 $8.68

$6.88 $6.88

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 $9.62

$9.24 $9.24

4.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.26 $1.26

-8.73%

White Bread (500g)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.55 $3.55

40.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.38 $5.38

-8.36%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.55 $4.55

19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$13.65 $13.65

-7.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.80 $15.80

$14.07 $14.07

12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$18.06 $18.06

-21.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.16 $5.16

0.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.98 $1.98

-9.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.88 $3.88

7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$4.83 $4.83

31.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.81 $2.81

19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.67 $2.67

4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.07 $2.07

-6.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.03 $3.03

-24.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 $11.63

$13.90 $13.90

-16.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$15.05 $15.05

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.63 $2.63

-34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.45 $3.45

-22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.17 $3.17

12.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.70 $1.70

12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.48 $35.48

$24.90 $24.90

42.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.28 $1.28

25.00%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.10%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.29%

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

$271 $271

$192 $192

41.10%

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

$72.6 $72.6

$69.6 $69.6

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.2 $80.2

$62.2 $62.2

28.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.2 $99.2

$47.79 $47.79

107.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$17.83 $17.83

-14.86%

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

$1,716 $1,716

$1,815 $1,815

-5.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.9K $35.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-11.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 $72.5

$66.2 $66.2

9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 $39.98

$51.4 $51.4

-22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 $80.9

$103 $103

-21.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$143 $143

14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 $2,127

$2,531 $2,531

-15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$1,621 $1,621

-7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 $3,202

$4,828 $4,828

-33.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$2,734 $2,734

1.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,048 $8,048

$4,163 $4,163

93.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,904 $6,904

$2,723 $2,723

153.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,348 $6,348

$4,924 $4,924

28.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.78

-3.24%

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

Last update for Lake Forest, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lake Forest, CA

$1.5K 49.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 7.9% $119

Groceries & Markets

Lake Forest, CA

$442 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 0.7% $3.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lake Forest, CA

$424 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 23.6% $100

Eating Out

Lake Forest, CA

$386 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 11% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Lake Forest, CA

$160 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 2% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Lake Forest, CA

$130 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 35.6% $46

Getting Around

Lake Forest, CA

$13 * 0.4%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 638% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,127 in Lake Forest, 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 29% higher in Lake Forest, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Lake Forest, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $442 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lake Forest, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:25 7:25 PM

21:25 9:25 PM

2 h ahead of Lake Forest, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,367

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Lake Forest, CA Chicago, IL 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Lake Forest, 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,586 per month in Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,127 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Lake Forest, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,716 per month in Lake Forest, CA and $1,815 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,057 in Lake Forest, CA and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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