Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mission Viejo, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,984 in Mission Viejo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mission Viejo, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

194

Cost of Living Index in Mission Viejo, CA
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Mission Viejo, CA Living Index
152

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

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Mission Viejo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,984

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,984 per month in Mission Viejo, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mission Viejo, CA $3,984
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,862 per month in Mission Viejo, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mission Viejo, CA $4,862
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,741 per month in Mission Viejo, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mission Viejo, CA $5,741
Chicago, IL $6,115

Mission Viejo, CA costs about 27% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mission Viejo, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Mission Viejo, CA by 194%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.20 $21.20

$20.65 $20.65

2.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$90.2 $90.2

-16.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$12.94 $12.94

-22.26%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$5.60 $5.60

-2.50%

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

$2.06 $2.06

$2.64 $2.64

-21.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.27 $2.27

-32.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$6.98 $6.98

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 $5.72

$8.83 $8.83

-35.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 $1.27

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.80 $3.80

4.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$5.30 $5.30

-63.02%

Eggs

$4.54 $4.54

$4.76 $4.76

-4.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$13.96 $13.96

-0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.60 $13.60

$14.61 $14.61

-6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$18.77 $18.77

-33.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$5.19 $5.19

-2.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.98 $1.98

-21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.93 $3.93

-25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.96 $4.96

-3.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.76 $2.76

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.76 $2.76

57.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 $2.22

-7.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.98 $2.98

-23.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$14.02 $14.02

-17.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 $13.64

$15.28 $15.28

-10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.58 $2.58

-36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.50 $3.50

-23.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.47 $2.47

-16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.34 $3.34

4.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.43 $1.43

32.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.61 $23.61

$24.32 $24.32

-2.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.26 $1.26

8.73%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.23%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.66%

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

$244 $244

$193 $193

26.86%

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

$79.8 $79.8

$68.3 $68.3

16.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$61.3 $61.3

6.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.75 $39.75

$54.1 $54.1

-26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$17.74 $17.74

-33.48%

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

$551 $551

$1,652 $1,652

-66.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,298 $8,298

$31.1K $31.1K

-73.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.68 $31.68

$66.1 $66.1

-52.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 $34.66

$51.2 $51.2

-32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 $72.1

$100 $100

-28.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$141 $141

-2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,653 $2,653

$2,446 $2,446

8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$1,678 $1,678

59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,774 $3,774

$4,717 $4,717

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,907 $2,907

$2,795 $2,795

3.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,598 $7,598

$4,105 $4,105

85.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,292 $5,292

$2,650 $2,650

99.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,808 $5,808

$4,866 $4,866

19.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.81

-1.91%

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

Last update for Mission Viejo, 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

Mission Viejo, CA

$2.7K 67.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 37.5% $1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mission Viejo, CA

$390 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 17.3% $67

Groceries & Markets

Mission Viejo, CA

$385 9.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 16.7% $64

Eating Out

Mission Viejo, CA

$317 8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 8.4% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Mission Viejo, CA

$124 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29.9% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Mission Viejo, CA

$63 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 41.4% $26

Getting Around

Mission Viejo, CA

$21 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 348% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,653 in Mission Viejo, 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 19% higher in Mission Viejo, 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 $75.0 in Mission Viejo, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $449 – making Mission Viejo, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mission Viejo, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:07 11:07 PM

01:07 1:07 AM

2 h ahead of Mission Viejo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

97,156

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mission Viejo, CA Chicago, IL 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Mission Viejo, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,984 in Mission Viejo, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,975 per month in Mission Viejo, 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 $75.0 in Mission Viejo, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Mission Viejo, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,984 in Mission Viejo, 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 $3,984 in Mission Viejo, 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, Mission Viejo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.