Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,621 in Redlands, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

176

Cost of Living Index in Redlands, CA
Learn more

Redlands, CA Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Redlands, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,621

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,621 per month in Redlands, CA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redlands, CA $3,621
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $5,009 per month in Redlands, CA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redlands, CA $5,009
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,397 per month in Redlands, CA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redlands, CA $6,397
Chicago, IL $6,077

Redlands, CA costs about 14% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Redlands, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Redlands, CA by 168%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$21.58 $21.58

15.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$88.7 $88.7

-13.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.32 $16.32

$13.20 $13.20

23.64%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$5.59 $5.59

9.48%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$2.63 $2.63

15.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.26 $2.26

6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$7.11 $7.11

11.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.15 $10.15

$9.23 $9.23

9.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.28 $1.28

5.47%

White Bread (500g)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.84 $3.84

23.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$5.07 $5.07

-6.51%

Eggs

$5.64 $5.64

$4.84 $4.84

16.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$14.17 $14.17

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 $11.03

$14.61 $14.61

-24.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 $19.78

$18.76 $18.76

5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.19 $5.19

-2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.00 $2.00

21.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$4.00 $4.00

22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.98 $4.98

9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.79 $2.79

22.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.65 $2.65

12.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.13 $2.13

-3.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.09 $3.09

-7.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 $11.68

$16.05 $16.05

-27.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$15.20 $15.20

-1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.62 $2.62

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.46 $3.46

42.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.71 $34.71

$75.1 $75.1

-53.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.21 $3.21

-2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.39 $1.39

29.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.29 $32.29

$25.02 $25.02

29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.24 $1.24

20.97%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$37.2K $37.2K

-2.36%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.63%

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

$277 $277

$192 $192

44.26%

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

$80.9 $80.9

$67.8 $67.8

19.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.8 $79.8

$60.9 $60.9

31.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.19 $25.19

$53.6 $53.6

-52.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$17.80 $17.80

12.25%

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

$1,188 $1,188

$1,554 $1,554

-23.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K $32.1K

$31.4K $31.4K

2.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$67.9 $67.9

-7.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$50.8 $50.8

-0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$101 $101

3.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$143 $143

-26.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 $1,937

$2,383 $2,383

-18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 $2,059

$1,712 $1,712

20.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,465 $3,465

$4,674 $4,674

-25.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,070 $3,070

$2,738 $2,738

12.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,057 $4,057

$4,158 $4,158

-2.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,156 $4,156

$2,691 $2,691

54.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,746 $4,746

$4,894 $4,894

-3.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.77

1.33%

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

Last update for Redlands, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Redlands, CA

$2.1K 56.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 16.8% $347

Groceries & Markets

Redlands, CA

$454 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 0.7% $3.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Redlands, CA

$438 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 26.7% $117

Eating Out

Redlands, CA

$404 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 12.6% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Redlands, CA

$146 4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 12.2% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Redlands, CA

$65 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 36.9% $24

Getting Around

Redlands, CA

$55 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 73.2% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,937 in Redlands, CA versus $2,383 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 3% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $76.0 in Redlands, CA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $454 in Redlands, CA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Redlands, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:16 9:16 PM

23:16 11:16 PM

2 h ahead of Redlands, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

68,747

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Redlands, CA Chicago, IL 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Redlands, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,621 in Redlands, CA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,431 per month in Redlands, CA and $4,777 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Redlands, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Redlands, CA and $89.0 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 $3,621 in Redlands, CA and $3,185 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,621 in Redlands, CA. 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Redlands, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.