Cost of Living Comparison Between San Luis Obispo, CA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between San Luis Obispo, CA and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: San Luis Obispo, CA is 11.8% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 9.7% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: San Luis Obispo, CA is 22.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 8.6% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.07 $20.07

$20.82 $20.82

-3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$100 $100

-21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 $11.39

$11.97 $11.97

-4.85%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$5.56 $5.56

0.36%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$3.11 $3.11

-12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.5 $2.5

$2.42 $2.42

3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.1 $8.1

$6.86 $6.86

18.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$8.45 $8.45

-7.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.04 $1.04

8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.15 $4.15

8.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.52 $5.52

-40.94%

Eggs

$2.89 $2.89

$4.65 $4.65

-37.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.49 $15.49

$14.33 $14.33

8.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$14.88 $14.88

-29.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.6 $15.6

$19.34 $19.34

-19.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$5.17 $5.17

-35.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.71 $1.71

12.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.3 $3.3

$4.41 $4.41

-25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.51 $4.51

-27.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.8 $2.8

$2.53 $2.53

10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.74 $2.74

3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.1 $2.1

$2.43 $2.43

-13.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2 $2

$2.7 $2.7

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.1 $11.1

$15.19 $15.19

-26.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.24 $17.24

$16.42 $16.42

4.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.35 $2.35

-22.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.2 $3.2

$3.7 $3.7

-13.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.53 $2.53

-27.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 $60.1

$74.1 $74.1

-18.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.34 $3.34

4.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.42 $1.42

20.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$25.42 $25.42

18.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.3 $1.3

$1.08 $1.08

20.37%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$32.4K $32.4K

-25.46%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.49%

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

$257 $257

$188 $188

36.72%

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

$49.31 $49.31

$63.7 $63.7

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68 $68

$65.2 $65.2

4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54 $54

$76.7 $76.7

-29.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.42 $49.42

$13.03 $13.03

279.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 $12.24

$14.93 $14.93

-18.02%

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

$2,000 $2,000

$2,063 $2,063

-3.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K $25.5K

$39.2K $39.2K

-34.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$64.3 $64.3

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.71 $43.71

$52.4 $52.4

-16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$95.2 $95.2

-8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$145 $145

-23.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 $2,319

$2,378 $2,378

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 $1,853

$1,584 $1,584

16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$4,763 $4,763

-5.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,691 $3,691

$2,815 $2,815

31.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,147 $8,147

$3,588 $3,588

127.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,231 $7,231

$2,490 $2,490

190.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,196 $5,196

$5,275 $5,275

-1.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.6

-1.36%

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

Last update for San Luis Obispo, CA: October 29, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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