Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Desert, CA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Desert, CA and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Palm Desert, CA is 10% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 6.5% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Palm Desert, CA is 18.3% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 7% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 $17.92

$20.82 $20.82

-13.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$100 $100

-18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.7 $11.7

$11.97 $11.97

-2.26%

Cappuccino

$5.1 $5.1

$5.56 $5.56

-8.27%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$3.11 $3.11

17.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.2 $2.2

$2.42 $2.42

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$6.86 $6.86

3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$8.45 $8.45

-4.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.04 $1.04

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.15 $4.15

-0.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$5.52 $5.52

-16.49%

Eggs

$3.9 $3.9

$4.65 $4.65

-16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$14.33 $14.33

-22.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$14.88 $14.88

6.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$19.34 $19.34

-21.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$5.17 $5.17

-13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.71 $1.71

-9.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.41 $4.41

10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$4.51 $4.51

25.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.53 $2.53

27.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.74 $2.74

8.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.7 $2.7

-18.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 $11.21

$15.19 $15.19

-26.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 $13.31

$16.42 $16.42

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.35 $2.35

-17.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.7 $3.7

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.53 $2.53

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.5 $6.5

$3.34 $3.34

94.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.42 $1.42

45.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.83 $28.83

$25.42 $25.42

13.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.08 $1.08

0.93%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$32.4K $32.4K

-21.95%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$26.2K $26.2K

8.35%

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

$158 $158

$188 $188

-16.17%

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

$54.1 $54.1

$63.7 $63.7

-15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58 $58

$65.2 $65.2

-11.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.99 $42.99

$76.7 $76.7

-43.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 $13.05

$14.93 $14.93

-12.59%

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

$1,514 $1,514

$2,063 $2,063

-26.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$39.2K $39.2K

-39.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.95 $46.95

$64.3 $64.3

-26.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 $29.73

$52.4 $52.4

-43.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 $60.6

$95.2 $95.2

-36.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 $60.8

$145 $145

-57.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,512 $2,512

$2,378 $2,378

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$1,584 $1,584

28.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,145 $3,145

$4,763 $4,763

-33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,960 $2,960

$2,815 $2,815

5.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,175 $3,175

$3,588 $3,588

-11.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,404 $2,404

$2,490 $2,490

-3.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,157 $5,157

$5,275 $5,275

-2.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.6

0.61%

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

Last update for Palm Desert, CA: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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