Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,547 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

219

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

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

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San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,547

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,547 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $4,547
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $6,255 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $6,255
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $7,963 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $7,963
Chicago, IL $5,999

San Rafael, CA costs about 50% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Rafael, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – San Rafael, CA by 234%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$20.71 $20.71

22.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$89.2 $89.2

36.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 $11.67

$13.19 $13.19

-11.52%

Cappuccino

$4.80 $4.80

$5.66 $5.66

-15.19%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.64 $2.64

11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.28 $2.28

28.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 $5.64

$6.87 $6.87

-17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$8.84 $8.84

-21.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.25 $1.25

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.72 $3.72

23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$5.39 $5.39

79.96%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.74 $4.74

14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.82 $22.82

$13.84 $13.84

64.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.29 $15.29

$14.40 $14.40

6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.54 $18.54

$18.38 $18.38

0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.29 $7.29

$5.22 $5.22

39.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.98 $1.98

48.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$4.06 $4.06

64.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$4.97 $4.97

68.21%

Potato (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.67 $2.67

119.48%

Onion (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$2.66 $2.66

112.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.24 $2.24

40.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.13 $3.13

27.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 $11.42

$13.82 $13.82

-17.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 $12.78

$14.88 $14.88

-14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.54 $2.54

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.51 $3.51

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.37 $40.37

$73.5 $73.5

-45.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.18 $3.18

26.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.39 $1.39

215.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 $29.55

$25.03 $25.03

18.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.20 $1.20

16.67%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.08%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.47%

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

$251 $251

$194 $194

29.28%

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

$85.1 $85.1

$69.5 $69.5

22.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 $61.7

$61.6 $61.6

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 $124

$47.90 $47.90

158.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.91 $29.91

$27.34 $27.34

9.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 $12.93

$17.81 $17.81

-27.40%

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

$2,091 $2,091

$1,794 $1,794

16.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-24.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$67.0 $67.0

-9.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 $42.54

$52.1 $52.1

-18.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 $96.5

$102 $102

-4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$144 $144

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 $2,814

$2,526 $2,526

11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,838 $2,838

$1,578 $1,578

79.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,116 $4,116

$4,738 $4,738

-13.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,993 $3,993

$2,693 $2,693

48.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,383 $8,383

$4,190 $4,190

100.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,743 $5,743

$2,768 $2,768

107.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,930 $6,930

$4,931 $4,931

40.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.81

-2.79%

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

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 26, 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 Rafael, CA

$2.8K 62.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 44.4% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

San Rafael, CA

$577 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 22.4% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Rafael, CA

$398 8.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18.2% $73

Eating Out

San Rafael, CA

$361 7.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

San Rafael, CA

$150 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 44.2% $66

Clothing & Footwear

San Rafael, CA

$149 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 10.3% $15

Getting Around

San Rafael, CA

$75 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,814 in San Rafael, 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 41% higher in San Rafael, 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 $122 in San Rafael, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $577 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:00 1:00 AM

03:00 3:00 AM

2 h ahead of San Rafael, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,704

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

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,547 in San Rafael, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 33% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,821 per month in San Rafael, 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 $2,814 in San Rafael, CA.

Groceries cost about 29% more in San Rafael, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in San Rafael, 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 $4,547 in San Rafael, CA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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