Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rancho Palos Verdes, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA: $2,626 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
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Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Living Index
152

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

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Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,626

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA $2,626
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,888 per month in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA $3,888
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,149 per month in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA $5,149
Chicago, IL $6,115

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rancho Palos Verdes, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Rancho Palos Verdes, CA by 94%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$20.65 $20.65

-4.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 $77.3

$90.2 $90.2

-14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.94 $12.94

14.99%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$5.60 $5.60

5.36%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$2.64 $2.64

19.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.27 $2.27

5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.98 $6.98

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.37 $9.37

$8.83 $8.83

6.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.27 $1.27

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.80 $3.80

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$5.30 $5.30

-9.43%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$4.76 $4.76

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$13.96 $13.96

-7.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$14.61 $14.61

-0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$18.77 $18.77

-18.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.19 $5.19

-2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.93 $3.93

4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.96 $4.96

13.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.76 $2.76

31.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.76 $2.76

-15.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 $2.22

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.98 $2.98

-38.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 $11.68

$14.02 $14.02

-16.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$15.28 $15.28

-2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.58 $2.58

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 $4.21

$3.50 $3.50

20.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.47 $2.47

-22.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 $6.34

$3.34 $3.34

89.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 $1.43

38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.26 $29.26

$24.32 $24.32

20.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.26 $1.26

24.60%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.66%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.08%

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

$214 $214

$193 $193

11.29%

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

$67.5 $67.5

$68.3 $68.3

-1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$61.3 $61.3

-3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.81 $43.81

$54.1 $54.1

-19.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.92 $14.92

$17.74 $17.74

-15.90%

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

$1,880 $1,880

$1,652 $1,652

13.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.8K $26.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-13.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$66.1 $66.1

-12.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.17 $40.17

$51.2 $51.2

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$100 $100

-8.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$141 $141

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 $1,592

$2,446 $2,446

-34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 $1,279

$1,678 $1,678

-23.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,558 $2,558

$4,717 $4,717

-45.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$2,795 $2,795

-21.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,715 $2,715

$4,105 $4,105

-33.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 $2,045

$2,650 $2,650

-22.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$10.0K $10.0K

$4,866 $4,866

106.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.81

-7.34%

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

Last update for Rancho Palos Verdes, 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

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$1.3K 48.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 31.2% $399

Groceries & Markets

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$426 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 5.4% $23

Eating Out

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$350 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 1.9% $6.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$341 13%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5.5% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$132 5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 21.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$74 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 21.7% $16

Getting Around

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

$24 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 298% $71

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Rancho Palos Verdes, 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 106% higher in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, 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 $77.0 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $426 vs $449 – making Rancho Palos Verdes, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:38 3:38 PM

17:38 5:38 PM

2 h ahead of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

41,754

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

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Chicago, IL 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Rancho Palos Verdes, 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

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,626 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,940 per month in Rancho Palos Verdes, 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 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, 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 $77.0 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,626 in Rancho Palos Verdes, 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 $2,626 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. 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 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.