Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,483 in San Leandro, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

166

Cost of Living Index in San Leandro, CA
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San Leandro, CA Living Index
147

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

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San Leandro, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,483

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,483 per month in San Leandro, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Leandro, CA $3,483
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,059 per month in San Leandro, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Leandro, CA $5,059
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,634 per month in San Leandro, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Leandro, CA $6,634
Chicago, IL $5,999

San Leandro, CA costs about 15% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Leandro, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – San Leandro, CA by 156%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.50 $25.50

$20.71 $20.71

23.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$89.2 $89.2

24.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.84 $14.84

$13.19 $13.19

12.51%

Cappuccino

$6.10 $6.10

$5.66 $5.66

7.77%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.64 $2.64

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.28 $2.28

21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$6.87 $6.87

14.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.25 $1.25

40.80%

White Bread (500g)

$5.24 $5.24

$3.72 $3.72

40.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$5.39 $5.39

-9.83%

Eggs

$5.84 $5.84

$4.74 $4.74

23.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 $15.22

$13.84 $13.84

9.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$14.40 $14.40

-9.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.80 $22.80

$18.38 $18.38

24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.22 $5.22

16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$4.06 $4.06

8.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$4.97 $4.97

29.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.67 $2.67

12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.66 $2.66

2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.24 $2.24

-9.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.13 $3.13

-36.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$13.82 $13.82

-13.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 $14.36

$14.88 $14.88

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.54 $2.54

-31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.51 $3.51

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.43 $2.43

134.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 $97.6

$73.5 $73.5

32.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.18 $3.18

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.39 $1.39

43.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.81 $38.81

$25.03 $25.03

55.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.20 $1.20

30.00%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.33%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.80%

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

$240 $240

$194 $194

23.64%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$69.5 $69.5

-26.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$61.6 $61.6

24.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.58 $49.58

$47.90 $47.90

3.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 $16.03

$17.81 $17.81

-9.99%

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

$2,923 $2,923

$1,794 $1,794

62.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.1K $43.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

34.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 $66.4

$67.0 $67.0

-0.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 $39.43

$52.1 $52.1

-24.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$102 $102

-13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-16.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 $2,357

$2,526 $2,526

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$1,578 $1,578

19.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,652 $3,652

$4,738 $4,738

-22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 $2,985

$2,693 $2,693

10.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,091 $5,091

$4,190 $4,190

21.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,028 $4,028

$2,768 $2,768

45.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,390 $5,390

$4,931 $4,931

9.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.81

-0.73%

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

Last update for San Leandro, CA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Leandro, CA

$1.9K 54%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 16.1% $304

Groceries & Markets

San Leandro, CA

$473 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 5.4% $25

Eating Out

San Leandro, CA

$403 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14.4% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Leandro, CA

$368 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 11.6% $43

Clothing & Footwear

San Leandro, CA

$142 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 15.7% $22

Getting Around

San Leandro, CA

$135 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 30.6% $41

Sport & Entertainment

San Leandro, CA

$82 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 2.3% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,357 in San Leandro, 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 9% higher in San Leandro, 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 $111 in San Leandro, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Leandro, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:20 2:20 PM

16:20 4:20 PM

2 h ahead of San Leandro, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

88,815

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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San Leandro, CA Chicago, IL 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

San Leandro, CA
Chicago, IL

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,483 in San Leandro, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,225 per month in San Leandro, CA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,357 in San Leandro, CA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 6% more in San Leandro, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in San Leandro, CA and $89 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 $3,483 in San Leandro, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,483 in San Leandro, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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