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

🙂 Solo nomad: Monterey Park, CA is 23.1% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 2.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Monterey Park, CA is 12.4% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 8.7% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.05 $25.05

$20.82 $20.82

20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$100 $100

-16.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$11.97 $11.97

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.56 $5.56

-7.73%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.11 $3.11

-12.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.3 $2.3

$2.42 $2.42

-4.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.86 $6.86

14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$8.45 $8.45

-16.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.04 $1.04

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$4.15 $4.15

-0.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$5.52 $5.52

-25.91%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$4.65 $4.65

53.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$14.33 $14.33

-11.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 $8.48

$14.88 $14.88

-43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$19.34 $19.34

-26.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.17 $5.17

-34.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.71 $1.71

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.41 $4.41

-6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.51 $4.51

13.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.53 $2.53

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.74 $2.74

-10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.43 $2.43

-21.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.7 $2.7

-19.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.91 $10.91

$15.19 $15.19

-28.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$16.42 $16.42

-9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.35 $2.35

9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.7 $3.7

-14.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.53 $2.53

-19.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.34 $3.34

-6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.42 $1.42

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.76 $29.76

$25.42 $25.42

17.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.08 $1.08

16.67%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$32.4K $32.4K

-25.51%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-6.74%

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

$239 $239

$188 $188

26.95%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$63.7 $63.7

6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69 $69

$65.2 $65.2

5.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.56 $42.56

$76.7 $76.7

-44.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$14.93 $14.93

-7.97%

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

$1,189 $1,189

$2,063 $2,063

-42.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$39.2K $39.2K

-38.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$64.3 $64.3

-12.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.23 $47.23

$52.4 $52.4

-9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$95.2 $95.2

7.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$145 $145

5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$2,378 $2,378

-32.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 $1,520

$1,584 $1,584

-4.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$4,763 $4,763

-43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,684 $3,684

$2,815 $2,815

30.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$3,588 $3,588

-29.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,631 $2,631

$2,490 $2,490

5.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,815 $2,815

$5,275 $5,275

-46.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.6

-1.67%

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

Last update for Monterey Park, CA: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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