Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Redding, CA: $2,347 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Redding, CA
Learn more

Redding, CA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Redding, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,347

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Redding, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redding, CA $2,347
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,370 per month in Redding, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redding, CA $3,370
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Redding, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redding, CA $4,394
Chicago, IL $5,999

Redding, CA is about 23% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Redding, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Redding, CA by 72%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$20.71 $20.71

-28.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$89.2 $89.2

-31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$13.19 $13.19

-9.33%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.66 $5.66

-6.36%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$2.64 $2.64

-6.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.28 $2.28

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$6.87 $6.87

-14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 $4.98

$8.84 $8.84

-43.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.25 $1.25

-11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.72 $3.72

10.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$5.39 $5.39

-40.26%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$4.74 $4.74

-13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$13.84 $13.84

-15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$14.40 $14.40

14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.74 $18.74

$18.38 $18.38

1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$5.22 $5.22

15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.06 $4.06

-32.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$4.97 $4.97

11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.67 $2.67

47.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.66 $2.66

13.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.24 $2.24

15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$3.13 $3.13

-56.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$13.82 $13.82

-13.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 $10.58

$14.88 $14.88

-28.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.54 $2.54

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.51 $3.51

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.43 $2.43

-18.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 $50.6

$73.5 $73.5

-31.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.18 $3.18

1.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.39 $1.39

74.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.15 $40.15

$25.03 $25.03

60.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.20 $1.20

27.50%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.27%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.73%

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

$191 $191

$194 $194

-1.69%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$69.5 $69.5

-14.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.6 $61.6

11.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.26 $47.26

$47.90 $47.90

-1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 $10.95

$17.81 $17.81

-38.52%

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

$2,527 $2,527

$1,794 $1,794

40.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.6K $37.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

17.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$67.0 $67.0

-3.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.84 $32.84

$52.1 $52.1

-37.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$102 $102

-9.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 $202

$144 $144

40.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$2,526 $2,526

-45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 $1,018

$1,578 $1,578

-35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 $1,876

$4,738 $4,738

-60.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$2,693 $2,693

-43.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,028 $3,028

$4,190 $4,190

-27.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,561 $2,561

$2,768 $2,768

-7.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,672 $3,672

$4,931 $4,931

-25.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.81

-1.62%

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

Last update for Redding, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Redding, CA

$1K 43.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 55% $560

Groceries & Markets

Redding, CA

$416 17.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 7.6% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Redding, CA

$319 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.1% $6.6

Eating Out

Redding, CA

$275 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 25.5% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Redding, CA

$176 7.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 6.8% $12

Getting Around

Redding, CA

$74 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 26.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Redding, CA

$69 3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.8% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,377 in Redding, 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 34% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Redding, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $447 – making Redding, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Redding, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:08 2:08 PM

16:08 4:08 PM

2 h ahead of Redding, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,582

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Redding, CA Chicago, IL 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Redding, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,347 in Redding, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Redding, CA comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,520 per month in Redding, 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 Redding, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,377 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Redding, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,347 in Redding, CA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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