Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Sacramento, CA and in Chicago, IL: $3,000 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

143

Cost of Living Index in Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento, CA Living Index
147

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

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Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,000 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $3,000
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,471 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $4,471
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,943 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $5,943
Chicago, IL $5,999

Sacramento, CA and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Sacramento, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sacramento, CA by 120%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.12 $21.12

$20.71 $20.71

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.6 $99.6

$89.2 $89.2

11.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 $12.26

$13.19 $13.19

-7.05%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$5.66 $5.66

-8.30%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.64 $2.64

10.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.28 $2.28

28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.87 $6.87

14.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.84 $8.84

-11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.25 $1.25

4.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.72 $3.72

11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.39 $5.39

-14.84%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$4.74 $4.74

23.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$13.84 $13.84

9.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$14.40 $14.40

5.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$18.38 $18.38

0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.22 $5.22

-4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.98 $1.98

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.06 $4.06

8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.97 $4.97

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.67 $2.67

37.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.66 $2.66

24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.24 $2.24

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.13 $3.13

-16.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$13.82 $13.82

-14.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$14.88 $14.88

-4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.54 $2.54

1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.51 $3.51

3.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.43 $2.43

5.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 $100.0

$73.5 $73.5

35.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.18 $3.18

27.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.39 $1.39

38.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.35 $25.35

$25.03 $25.03

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.20 $1.20

35.00%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-1.45%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.09%

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

$231 $231

$194 $194

18.73%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$69.5 $69.5

-12.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$61.6 $61.6

11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 $31.12

$47.90 $47.90

-35.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.69 $40.69

$27.34 $27.34

48.83%

Cinema Ticket

$17.25 $17.25

$17.81 $17.81

-3.14%

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

$1,532 $1,532

$1,794 $1,794

-14.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-40.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$67.0 $67.0

-9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 $47.13

$52.1 $52.1

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$102 $102

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$144 $144

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$2,526 $2,526

-21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$1,578 $1,578

-5.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,109 $3,109

$4,738 $4,738

-34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 $2,505

$2,693 $2,693

-6.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,486 $5,486

$4,190 $4,190

30.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,428 $3,428

$2,768 $2,768

23.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,815 $4,815

$4,931 $4,931

-2.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Sacramento, 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

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 49.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 5.8% $87

Groceries & Markets

Sacramento, CA

$463 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.4% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sacramento, CA

$361 12%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.8% $35

Eating Out

Sacramento, CA

$346 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 0.4% $1.4

Clothing & Footwear

Sacramento, CA

$149 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 9.9% $15

Getting Around

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 24.6% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Sacramento, CA

$66 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 27.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Sacramento, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Sacramento, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $463 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:28 8:28 AM

10:28 10:28 AM

2 h ahead of Sacramento, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

524,943

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

Sacramento, CA Chicago, IL 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Sacramento, 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,500 per month in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,986 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Sacramento, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,000 in Sacramento, 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 $3,000 in Sacramento, CA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.