Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Menlo Park, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,601 in Menlo Park, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Menlo Park, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

173

Cost of Living Index in Menlo Park, CA
Learn more

Menlo Park, CA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Menlo Park, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,601

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,601 per month in Menlo Park, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Menlo Park, CA $3,601
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $6,632 per month in Menlo Park, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Menlo Park, CA $6,632
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $9,663 per month in Menlo Park, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Menlo Park, CA $9,663
Chicago, IL $6,115

Menlo Park, CA costs about 15% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Menlo Park, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Menlo Park, CA by 166%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.36 $25.36

$20.65 $20.65

22.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 $108

$90.2 $90.2

19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$12.94 $12.94

-6.26%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.60 $5.60

3.75%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.64 $2.64

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.27 $2.27

3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$6.98 $6.98

15.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.83 $8.83

-9.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.27 $1.27

9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.80 $3.80

10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.30 $5.30

-7.55%

Eggs

$6.46 $6.46

$4.76 $4.76

35.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.57 $24.57

$13.96 $13.96

76.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$14.61 $14.61

-19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 $13.02

$18.77 $18.77

-30.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.19 $5.19

7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.98 $1.98

15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.93 $3.93

25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.96 $4.96

16.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.76 $2.76

18.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.76 $2.76

11.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.22 $2.22

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.98 $2.98

-11.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.55 $11.55

$14.02 $14.02

-17.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.00 $13.00

$15.28 $15.28

-14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.58 $2.58

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.50 $3.50

-28.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.47 $2.47

87.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.34 $3.34

-2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.43 $1.43

69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.80 $39.80

$24.32 $24.32

63.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.26 $1.26

22.22%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.25%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.21%

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

$187 $187

$193 $193

-3.02%

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

$38.24 $38.24

$68.3 $68.3

-43.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$61.3 $61.3

11.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$16.11 $16.11

$17.74 $17.74

-9.19%

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

$2,684 $2,684

$1,652 $1,652

62.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$31.1K $31.1K

19.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$66.1 $66.1

-22.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.52 $39.52

$51.2 $51.2

-22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$100 $100

-11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 $59.9

$141 $141

-57.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,223 $3,223

$2,446 $2,446

31.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,287 $2,287

$1,678 $1,678

36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,145 $6,145

$4,717 $4,717

30.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,562 $6,562

$2,795 $2,795

134.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.9K $21.9K

$4,105 $4,105

432.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K $16.5K

$2,650 $2,650

521.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,887 $4,887

$4,866 $4,866

0.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.81

-1.76%

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

Last update for Menlo Park, 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.

Accommodation & Living

Menlo Park, CA

$2.3K 63.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 26.6% $609

Groceries & Markets

Menlo Park, CA

$460 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 2.3% $10

Eating Out

Menlo Park, CA

$387 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 11.2% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Menlo Park, CA

$294 8.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.7% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Menlo Park, CA

$108 3%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 50% $54

Getting Around

Menlo Park, CA

$34 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 181% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Menlo Park, CA

$32 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 178% $57

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,223 in Menlo Park, 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 0% higher in Menlo Park, CA, 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 $108 in Menlo Park, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $460 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Menlo Park, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:19 3:19 AM

05:19 5:19 AM

2 h ahead of Menlo Park, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,780

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Menlo Park, CA Chicago, IL 2,980 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Menlo Park, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,601 in Menlo Park, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,402 per month in Menlo Park, 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 Chicago, IL, 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 $108 in Menlo Park, 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 2% more in Menlo Park, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,601 in Menlo Park, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,601 in Menlo Park, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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