Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

223

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

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

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San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,607

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,607 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $4,607
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,460 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $6,460
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $8,313 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $8,313
Chicago, IL $5,999

San Mateo, CA costs about 52% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Mateo, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – San Mateo, CA by 238%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$20.71 $20.71

-1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$89.2 $89.2

13.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 $12.89

$13.19 $13.19

-2.27%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$5.66 $5.66

2.47%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$2.64 $2.64

15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.28 $2.28

23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.35 $8.35

$6.87 $6.87

21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.84 $8.84

14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.25 $1.25

31.20%

White Bread (500g)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.72 $3.72

59.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$5.39 $5.39

15.58%

Eggs

$7.45 $7.45

$4.74 $4.74

57.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 $13.58

$13.84 $13.84

-1.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.53 $18.53

$14.40 $14.40

28.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 $19.67

$18.38 $18.38

7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$5.22 $5.22

13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.98 $1.98

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

Tomato (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$4.97 $4.97

72.23%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.67 $2.67

64.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.66 $2.66

19.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.24 $2.24

34.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.13 $3.13

-38.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$13.82 $13.82

-14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 $14.52

$14.88 $14.88

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.51 $3.51

-43.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.43 $2.43

-9.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$73.5 $73.5

-11.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.18 $3.18

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.39 $1.39

47.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.20 $1.20

29.17%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.66%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.79%

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

$268 $268

$194 $194

37.67%

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

$41.40 $41.40

$69.5 $69.5

-40.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$61.6 $61.6

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 $81.3

$47.90 $47.90

69.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 $9.60

$27.34 $27.34

-64.89%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$17.81 $17.81

-0.06%

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

$3,045 $3,045

$1,794 $1,794

69.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K $28.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-10.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 $62.0

$67.0 $67.0

-7.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.94 $45.94

$52.1 $52.1

-11.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$102 $102

16.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$144 $144

-4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,414 $3,414

$2,526 $2,526

35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 $2,991

$1,578 $1,578

89.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,766 $5,766

$4,738 $4,738

21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,683 $4,683

$2,693 $2,693

73.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,613 $9,613

$4,190 $4,190

129.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,493 $8,493

$2,768 $2,768

206.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,661 $7,661

$4,931 $4,931

55.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.81

-4.11%

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

Last update for San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA

$3K 64.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 47.2% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

San Mateo, CA

$522 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 14.2% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Mateo, CA

$370 8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 12% $44

Eating Out

San Mateo, CA

$356 7.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3.2% $11

Clothing & Footwear

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 0.4% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

San Mateo, CA

$117 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 28.5% $33

Getting Around

San Mateo, CA

$88 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 6.1% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,414 in San Mateo, 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 55% higher in San Mateo, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in San Mateo, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $522 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:19 10:19 AM

12:19 12:19 PM

2 h ahead of San Mateo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,536

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

San Mateo, CA Chicago, IL 2,990 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

San Mateo, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 34% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,910 per month in San Mateo, 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 Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,414 in San Mateo, CA.

Groceries cost about 17% more in San Mateo, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in San Mateo, 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 $4,607 in San Mateo, CA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $4,607 in San Mateo, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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