Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Monterey, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

173

Cost of Living Index in Monterey, CA
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Monterey, CA Living Index
152

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

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Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,616

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,616 per month in Monterey, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Monterey, CA $3,616
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,349 per month in Monterey, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Monterey, CA $5,349
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Monterey, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Monterey, CA $7,082
Chicago, IL $6,115

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

Both Monterey, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Monterey, CA by 167%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$20.65 $20.65

-1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$90.2 $90.2

-12.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$12.94 $12.94

-6.49%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.60 $5.60

-6.79%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$2.64 $2.64

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.27 $2.27

-28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 $5.45

$6.98 $6.98

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$8.83 $8.83

-31.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.27 $1.27

29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.80 $3.80

-16.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$5.30 $5.30

-50.38%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$4.76 $4.76

-3.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 $9.57

$13.96 $13.96

-31.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.38 $13.38

$14.61 $14.61

-8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$18.77 $18.77

-67.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$5.19 $5.19

-29.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.98 $1.98

-39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.93 $3.93

-18.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.96 $4.96

-19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.76 $2.76

-28.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.22 $2.22

-21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.98 $2.98

-58.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.59 $11.59

$14.02 $14.02

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 $17.31

$15.28 $15.28

13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.58 $2.58

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.50 $3.50

-47.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 $52.9

$74.8 $74.8

-29.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.34 $3.34

-52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.43 $1.43

-33.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.04 $35.04

$24.32 $24.32

44.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.26 $1.26

21.43%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-17.48%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.08%

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

$238 $238

$193 $193

23.55%

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

$75.1 $75.1

$68.3 $68.3

10.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$61.3 $61.3

16.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.1 $84.1

$54.1 $54.1

55.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 $10.63

$27.92 $27.92

-61.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 $12.75

$17.74 $17.74

-28.13%

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

$555 $555

$1,652 $1,652

-66.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-59.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 $76.8

$66.1 $66.1

16.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.2 $90.2

$51.2 $51.2

76.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 $129

$100 $100

28.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$141 $141

-4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$2,446 $2,446

1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,678 $1,678

31.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,056 $4,056

$4,717 $4,717

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,027 $4,027

$2,795 $2,795

44.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,909 $7,909

$4,105 $4,105

92.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,838 $5,838

$2,650 $2,650

120.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,771 $4,771

$4,866 $4,866

-1.95%

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 Monterey, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Monterey, CA

$2.2K 61%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 23.9% $528

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterey, CA

$385 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 16.3% $63

Groceries & Markets

Monterey, CA

$335 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 34% $114

Eating Out

Monterey, CA

$320 8.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 7.4% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Monterey, CA

$194 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 16.7% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Monterey, CA

$110 3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 18.2% $20

Getting Around

Monterey, CA

$67 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 41.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,490 in Monterey, 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 2% 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 $79.0 in Monterey, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $449 – making Monterey, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:56 6:56 AM

08:56 8:56 AM

2 h ahead of Monterey, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,803

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

Monterey, CA Chicago, IL 2,990 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Monterey, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,616 in Monterey, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,424 per month in Monterey, 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Monterey, CA – 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 $79.0 in Monterey, CA and $90.0 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 $3,616 in Monterey, 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 $3,616 in Monterey, 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, Monterey, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.