Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Merced, CA: $2,528 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Merced, CA
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Merced, CA Living Index
153

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

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Merced, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,528

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,528 per month in Merced, CA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Merced, CA $2,528
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,698 per month in Merced, CA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Merced, CA $3,698
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,868 per month in Merced, CA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Merced, CA $4,868
Chicago, IL $6,077

Merced, CA is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Merced, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Merced, CA by 87%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 $17.30

$21.58 $21.58

-19.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 $39.53

$88.7 $88.7

-55.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$13.20 $13.20

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$5.59 $5.59

1.43%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$2.63 $2.63

-6.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.26 $2.26

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.15 $9.15

$7.11 $7.11

28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$9.23 $9.23

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.28 $1.28

-3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.84 $3.84

12.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.07 $5.07

-17.55%

Eggs

$5.69 $5.69

$4.84 $4.84

17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.30 $19.30

$14.17 $14.17

36.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$14.61 $14.61

-2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.62 $21.62

$18.76 $18.76

15.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$5.19 $5.19

-14.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.00 $2.00

1.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$4.00 $4.00

35.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$4.98 $4.98

7.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.79 $2.79

25.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.65 $2.65

11.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.13 $2.13

14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.09 $3.09

-16.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.89 $11.89

$16.05 $16.05

-25.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.78 $15.78

$15.20 $15.20

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.62 $2.62

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.46 $3.46

-1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.47 $2.47

-39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$75.1 $75.1

-20.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.21 $3.21

-4.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.39 $1.39

19.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.51 $26.51

$25.02 $25.02

5.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.24 $1.24

6.45%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$37.2K $37.2K

0.19%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.22%

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

$237 $237

$192 $192

23.49%

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

$29.93 $29.93

$67.8 $67.8

-55.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$60.9 $60.9

35.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.75 $32.75

$53.6 $53.6

-38.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 $14.11

$27.90 $27.90

-49.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 $16.87

$17.80 $17.80

-5.22%

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

$1,851 $1,851

$1,554 $1,554

19.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K $40.5K

$31.4K $31.4K

29.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$67.9 $67.9

-11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$50.8 $50.8

-0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 $100.0

$101 $101

-1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$143 $143

-16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 $1,638

$2,383 $2,383

-31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 $1,082

$1,712 $1,712

-36.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 $2,012

$4,674 $4,674

-56.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 $1,905

$2,738 $2,738

-30.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,890 $2,890

$4,158 $4,158

-30.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,896 $2,896

$2,691 $2,691

7.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,329 $3,329

$4,894 $4,894

-31.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.77

-6.06%

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

Last update for Merced, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Merced, CA

$1.1K 42.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 58.2% $630

Groceries & Markets

Merced, CA

$479 19%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 5.9% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Merced, CA

$350 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 8.3% $29

Eating Out

Merced, CA

$325 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 8.7% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Merced, CA

$149 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 10.1% $15

Getting Around

Merced, CA

$77 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 23.2% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Merced, CA

$66 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 34.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Merced, CA versus $2,383 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 47% 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 $40.00 in Merced, CA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $479 in Merced, CA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Merced, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:30 2:30 AM

04:30 4:30 AM

2 h ahead of Merced, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,316

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Merced, CA Chicago, IL 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Merced, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,528 in Merced, CA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,793 per month in Merced, CA and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merced, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Merced, CA and $89.0 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 $2,528 in Merced, CA and $3,185 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 $2,528 in Merced, CA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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