Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lodi, CA: $2,633 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

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

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

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Lodi, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,633

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,633 per month in Lodi, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lodi, CA $2,633
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,828 per month in Lodi, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lodi, CA $3,828
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,022 per month in Lodi, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lodi, CA $5,022
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lodi, CA is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lodi, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lodi, CA by 93%, 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

$76.0 $76.0

$89.2 $89.2

-14.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 $11.37

$13.19 $13.19

-13.80%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$5.66 $5.66

-3.71%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 $2.64

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.28 $2.28

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.87 $6.87

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$8.84 $8.84

-20.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.25 $1.25

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.72 $3.72

-1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.39 $5.39

-18.18%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$4.74 $4.74

-9.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$13.84 $13.84

-9.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$14.40 $14.40

-18.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 $17.23

$18.38 $18.38

-6.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$5.22 $5.22

-6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.98 $1.98

-16.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$4.06 $4.06

4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.97 $4.97

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.67 $2.67

6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.66 $2.66

10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.24 $2.24

-2.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.13 $3.13

-29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$13.82 $13.82

-26.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$14.88 $14.88

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.54 $2.54

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.51 $3.51

-6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.43 $2.43

-10.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 $67.9

$73.5 $73.5

-7.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.18 $3.18

7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.39 $1.39

20.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.17 $34.17

$25.03 $25.03

36.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.20 $1.20

20.00%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.26%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.52%

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

$204 $204

$194 $194

4.87%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$69.5 $69.5

-16.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.6 $61.6

11.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.06 $40.06

$47.90 $47.90

-16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 $13.53

$17.81 $17.81

-24.03%

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

$1,494 $1,494

$1,794 $1,794

-16.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K $21.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-33.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$67.0 $67.0

-22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.05 $41.05

$52.1 $52.1

-21.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$102 $102

-13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 $1,531

$2,526 $2,526

-39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$1,578 $1,578

-18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,582 $2,582

$4,738 $4,738

-45.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$2,693 $2,693

-23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,803 $2,803

$4,190 $4,190

-33.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$2,768 $2,768

-15.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,439 $4,439

$4,931 $4,931

-9.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.81

-2.79%

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

Last update for Lodi, 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

Lodi, CA

$1.3K 49%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 22.3% $288

Groceries & Markets

Lodi, CA

$401 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 11.6% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lodi, CA

$331 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 1.5% $5.1

Eating Out

Lodi, CA

$322 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 7.3% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Lodi, CA

$135 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 21.7% $29

Getting Around

Lodi, CA

$88 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 5.7% $5.1

Sport & Entertainment

Lodi, CA

$67 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 24.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,531 in Lodi, 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 11% 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 $76 in Lodi, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $447 – making Lodi, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lodi, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:36 3:36 PM

17:36 5:36 PM

2 h ahead of Lodi, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,348

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Lodi, CA Chicago, IL 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Lodi, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,633 in Lodi, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Lodi, CA comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,950 per month in Lodi, 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 Lodi, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,531 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Lodi, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,633 in Lodi, 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 Lodi, 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 Lodi, 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.