Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

170

Cost of Living Index in Santa Ana, CA
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Santa Ana, CA Living Index
152

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

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Santa Ana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,474

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,474 per month in Santa Ana, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Santa Ana, CA $3,474
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,054 per month in Santa Ana, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Santa Ana, CA $5,054
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,635 per month in Santa Ana, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Santa Ana, CA $6,635
Chicago, IL $6,115

Santa Ana, CA costs about 11% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Santa Ana, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Santa Ana, CA by 156%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.65 $22.65

$20.65 $20.65

9.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$90.2 $90.2

-9.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.64 $16.64

$12.94 $12.94

28.59%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$5.60 $5.60

5.71%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.64 $2.64

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.27 $2.27

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 $7.35

$6.98 $6.98

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.71 $9.71

$8.83 $8.83

9.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.27 $1.27

-18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.80 $3.80

6.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.30 $5.30

-11.89%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.76 $4.76

21.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.96 $13.96

-7.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.06 $17.06

$14.61 $14.61

16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.14 $21.14

$18.77 $18.77

12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.19 $5.19

-5.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.98 $1.98

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.93 $3.93

4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$4.96 $4.96

15.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.76 $2.76

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.76 $2.76

15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.22 $2.22

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.98 $2.98

-38.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$14.02 $14.02

-16.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.28 $15.28

-2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.58 $2.58

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.50 $3.50

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.47 $2.47

-19.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 $69.0

$74.8 $74.8

-7.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 $6.31

$3.34 $3.34

88.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.43 $1.43

238.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.18 $48.18

$24.32 $24.32

98.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.26 $1.26

19.84%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.19%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.31%

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

$173 $173

$193 $193

-9.97%

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

$67.7 $67.7

$68.3 $68.3

-0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$61.3 $61.3

20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 $56.7

$54.1 $54.1

4.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.05 $44.05

$27.92 $27.92

57.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.40 $15.40

$17.74 $17.74

-13.19%

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

$1,202 $1,202

$1,652 $1,652

-27.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$66.1 $66.1

-5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 $42.17

$51.2 $51.2

-17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$100 $100

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$141 $141

2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,617 $2,617

$2,446 $2,446

6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$1,678 $1,678

17.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,217 $3,217

$4,717 $4,717

-31.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,227 $3,227

$2,795 $2,795

15.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,596 $4,596

$4,105 $4,105

11.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,226 $4,226

$2,650 $2,650

59.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$4,866 $4,866

-32.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.81

-6.17%

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

Last update for Santa Ana, CA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Santa Ana, CA

$2K 56.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 14.6% $288

Groceries & Markets

Santa Ana, CA

$458 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 1.9% $8.6

Eating Out

Santa Ana, CA

$380 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9.6% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Ana, CA

$315 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 2.3% $7.3

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Ana, CA

$160 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 0.6% $1

Getting Around

Santa Ana, CA

$107 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 11.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Ana, CA

$87 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 2.5% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,617 in Santa Ana, CA versus $2,446 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 48% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Santa Ana, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $458 in Santa Ana, CA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Ana, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

08:23 8:23 AM

2 h ahead of Santa Ana, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

335,400

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Santa Ana, CA Chicago, IL 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Santa Ana, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,210 per month in Santa Ana, CA and $4,708 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 2% more in Santa Ana, 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 $81.0 in Santa Ana, CA and $90.0 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 $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA and $3,139 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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