Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $4,077 in San Diego, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

197

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA Living Index
153

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

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San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,077

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,077 per month in San Diego, CA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Diego, CA $4,077
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $6,059 per month in San Diego, CA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Diego, CA $6,059
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $8,041 per month in San Diego, CA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Diego, CA $8,041
Chicago, IL $6,077

San Diego, CA costs about 28% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Diego, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – San Diego, CA by 202%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.72 $24.72

$21.58 $21.58

14.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 $97.7

$88.7 $88.7

10.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.25 $13.25

$13.20 $13.20

0.38%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.59 $5.59

6.62%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.63 $2.63

18.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.26 $2.26

15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$7.11 $7.11

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$9.23 $9.23

20.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.28 $1.28

7.03%

White Bread (500g)

$5.58 $5.58

$3.84 $3.84

45.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.07 $5.07

-7.30%

Eggs

$6.77 $6.77

$4.84 $4.84

39.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$14.17 $14.17

20.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$14.61 $14.61

-2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$18.76 $18.76

10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$5.19 $5.19

-10.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.00 $2.00

-7.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.00 $4.00

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$4.98 $4.98

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.79 $2.79

11.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.65 $2.65

1.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.13 $2.13

-0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.09 $3.09

-34.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$16.05 $16.05

-26.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 $16.72

$15.20 $15.20

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.62 $2.62

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.46 $3.46

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 $73.4

$75.1 $75.1

-2.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.21 $3.21

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.39 $1.39

50.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.38 $28.38

$25.02 $25.02

13.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.24 $1.24

25.00%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$37.2K $37.2K

-0.50%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.73%

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

$256 $256

$192 $192

33.24%

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

$73.9 $73.9

$67.8 $67.8

8.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 $84.4

$60.9 $60.9

38.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 $72.9

$53.6 $53.6

35.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 $24.09

$27.90 $27.90

-13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$20.21 $20.21

$17.80 $17.80

13.54%

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

$1,968 $1,968

$1,554 $1,554

26.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.4K $31.4K

14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$67.9 $67.9

0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 $54.7

$50.8 $50.8

7.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$101 $101

12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$143 $143

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,210 $3,210

$2,383 $2,383

34.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 $2,410

$1,712 $1,712

40.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,499 $5,499

$4,674 $4,674

17.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,336 $4,336

$2,738 $2,738

58.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,110 $8,110

$4,158 $4,158

95.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,682 $6,682

$2,691 $2,691

148.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,975 $4,975

$4,894 $4,894

1.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.77

-1.03%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Diego, CA

$2.4K 59.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 29% $698

Groceries & Markets

San Diego, CA

$475 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 5.1% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Diego, CA

$414 10.2%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 22.6% $93

Eating Out

San Diego, CA

$395 9.7%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 10.6% $42

Clothing & Footwear

San Diego, CA

$172 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 5.2% $9

Sport & Entertainment

San Diego, CA

$113 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 21.3% $24

Getting Around

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 1.7% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,210 in San Diego, 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 2% higher in San Diego, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in San Diego, CA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $475 vs $451 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:03 6:03 PM

20:03 8:03 PM

2 h ahead of San Diego, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,386,932

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

San Diego, CA Chicago, IL 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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San Diego, CA
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,077 in San Diego, CA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,116 per month in San Diego, 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 5% more in San Diego, 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 $98.0 in San Diego, 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 $4,077 in San Diego, 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. San Diego, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $4,077 in San Diego, 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, San Diego, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.