Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mountain View, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,650 in Mountain View, CA, rent and utilities included – about $19,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

227

Cost of Living Index in Mountain View, CA
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Mountain View, CA Living Index
147

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

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Mountain View, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,650

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,650 per month in Mountain View, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mountain View, CA $4,650
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,615 per month in Mountain View, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mountain View, CA $6,615
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $8,580 per month in Mountain View, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mountain View, CA $8,580
Chicago, IL $5,999

Mountain View, CA costs about 53% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mountain View, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Mountain View, CA by 242%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 $20.34

$20.71 $20.71

-1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$89.2 $89.2

12.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$13.19 $13.19

-9.33%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$5.66 $5.66

-7.95%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 $2.64

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.28 $2.28

19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$6.87 $6.87

4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 $9.99

$8.84 $8.84

13.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.25 $1.25

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.72 $3.72

12.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$5.39 $5.39

-13.17%

Eggs

$5.52 $5.52

$4.74 $4.74

16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$13.84 $13.84

17.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$14.40 $14.40

-18.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 $12.96

$18.38 $18.38

-29.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.22 $5.22

3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.98 $1.98

-5.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.06 $4.06

9.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$4.97 $4.97

14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.67 $2.67

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$2.66 $2.66

112.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.13 $3.13

-16.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 $11.63

$13.82 $13.82

-15.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 $12.92

$14.88 $14.88

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.54 $2.54

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.51 $3.51

-30.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.43 $2.43

1.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 $88.6

$73.5 $73.5

20.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.18 $3.18

22.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.39 $1.39

250.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.20 $1.20

30.83%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.26%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.43%

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

$288 $288

$194 $194

48.35%

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

$44.81 $44.81

$69.5 $69.5

-35.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$61.6 $61.6

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 $78.6

$47.90 $47.90

64.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 $11.81

$27.34 $27.34

-56.80%

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 $17.10

$17.81 $17.81

-3.99%

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

$2,141 $2,141

$1,794 $1,794

19.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$67.0 $67.0

-21.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$99.5 $99.5

$52.1 $52.1

90.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 $151

$102 $102

49.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$144 $144

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,529 $3,529

$2,526 $2,526

39.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,039 $3,039

$1,578 $1,578

92.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,702 $4,702

$4,738 $4,738

-0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,009 $5,009

$2,693 $2,693

86.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K $11.9K

$4,190 $4,190

184.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K $10.1K

$2,768 $2,768

263.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,788 $9,788

$4,931 $4,931

98.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.14

6.81

-9.84%

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

Last update for Mountain View, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mountain View, CA

$3K 65.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 48.1% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Mountain View, CA

$432 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.6% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mountain View, CA

$397 8.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18% $72

Eating Out

Mountain View, CA

$339 7.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 1.9% $6.3

Clothing & Footwear

Mountain View, CA

$203 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 19.4% $39

Getting Around

Mountain View, CA

$127 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 26.3% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Mountain View, CA

$113 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 26% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,529 in Mountain View, CA versus $2,526 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 99% higher in Mountain View, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Mountain View, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $432 in Mountain View, CA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Mountain View, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mountain View, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:22 3:22 PM

17:22 5:22 PM

2 h ahead of Mountain View, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,739

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mountain View, CA Chicago, IL 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mountain View, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,650 in Mountain View, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,974 per month in Mountain View, CA and $4,555 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,529 in Mountain View, CA.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Mountain View, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Mountain View, CA and $89 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 $4,650 in Mountain View, CA and $3,037 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $4,650 in Mountain View, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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