Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,060 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

195

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA Living Index
147

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

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Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,060

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,060 per month in Los Angeles, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Los Angeles, CA $4,060
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,104 per month in Los Angeles, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Los Angeles, CA $6,104
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $8,148 per month in Los Angeles, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Los Angeles, CA $8,148
Chicago, IL $5,999

Los Angeles, CA costs about 34% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Los Angeles, CA by 198%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.02 $27.02

$20.71 $20.71

30.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$89.2 $89.2

35.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.21 $15.21

$13.19 $13.19

15.31%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.66 $5.66

2.12%

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

$3.79 $3.79

$2.64 $2.64

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.28 $2.28

17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$6.87 $6.87

12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.98 $9.98

$8.84 $8.84

12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.25 $1.25

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.72 $3.72

25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$5.39 $5.39

-15.03%

Eggs

$5.35 $5.35

$4.74 $4.74

12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$13.84 $13.84

-18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.16 $16.16

$14.40 $14.40

12.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.42 $19.42

$18.38 $18.38

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$5.22 $5.22

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.98 $1.98

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$4.06 $4.06

13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$4.97 $4.97

11.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.67 $2.67

26.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.66 $2.66

10.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.24 $2.24

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.13 $3.13

-22.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$13.82 $13.82

-13.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.88 $14.88

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.54 $2.54

15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.51 $3.51

-22.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.43 $2.43

-29.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 $105

$73.5 $73.5

42.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.18 $3.18

-4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.39 $1.39

34.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.19 $32.19

$25.03 $25.03

28.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.20 $1.20

30.83%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-1.57%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.04%

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

$280 $280

$194 $194

44.15%

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

$78.4 $78.4

$69.5 $69.5

12.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.1 $79.1

$61.6 $61.6

28.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 $71.2

$47.90 $47.90

48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 $12.21

$27.34 $27.34

-55.34%

Cinema Ticket

$18.32 $18.32

$17.81 $17.81

2.86%

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

$1,722 $1,722

$1,794 $1,794

-3.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 $91.6

$67.0 $67.0

36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 $65.7

$52.1 $52.1

26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$102 $102

15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 $210

$144 $144

46.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 $2,547

$2,526 $2,526

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$1,578 $1,578

45.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,372 $5,372

$4,738 $4,738

13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,158 $4,158

$2,693 $2,693

54.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,171 $7,171

$4,190 $4,190

71.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,923 $6,923

$2,768 $2,768

150.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 $4,204

$4,931 $4,931

-14.73%

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 Los Angeles, CA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Los Angeles, CA

$2.3K 56.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 31.2% $717

Groceries & Markets

Los Angeles, CA

$462 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.1% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Angeles, CA

$438 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 25.6% $112

Eating Out

Los Angeles, CA

$416 10.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 17% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 24.8% $54

Getting Around

Los Angeles, CA

$124 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 24.6% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA

$108 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 22.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,547 in Los Angeles, 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 17% 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 $121 in Los Angeles, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:32 6:32 AM

08:32 8:32 AM

2 h ahead of Los Angeles, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,030,904

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

Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Los Angeles, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,060 in Los Angeles, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,090 per month in Los Angeles, CA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,547 in Los Angeles, CA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Los Angeles, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Los Angeles, 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 $4,060 in Los Angeles, 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 $4,060 in Los Angeles, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.