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

😐 Solo nomad: Santa Barbara, CA is 1% more expensive than Chicago, IL without rent, and 23.8% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Santa Barbara, CA is 14.4% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 25.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.82 $24.82

$20.82 $20.82

19.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

-0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$11.97 $11.97

-15.04%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.56 $5.56

1.08%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.11 $3.11

-12.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.1 $2.1

$2.42 $2.42

-13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.86 $6.86

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.1 $9.1

$8.45 $8.45

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.3 $1.3

$1.04 $1.04

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.15 $4.15

17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.52 $5.52

-12.50%

Eggs

$5.43 $5.43

$4.65 $4.65

16.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$14.33 $14.33

-12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$14.88 $14.88

-21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$19.34 $19.34

-26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$5.17 $5.17

20.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.71 $1.71

11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.41 $4.41

-12.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.51 $4.51

18.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.53 $2.53

30.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.74 $2.74

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.43 $2.43

-10.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.7 $2.7

-25.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.02 $13.02

$15.19 $15.19

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$16.42 $16.42

-7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.35 $2.35

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.7 $3.7

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.8 $1.8

$2.53 $2.53

-28.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$74.1 $74.1

-12.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.34 $3.34

74.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2 $2

$1.42 $1.42

40.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.9 $50.9

$25.42 $25.42

100.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.08 $1.08

12.96%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$32.4K $32.4K

-12.15%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.65%

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

$201 $201

$188 $188

6.83%

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

$54.1 $54.1

$63.7 $63.7

-15.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$65.2 $65.2

10.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 $66.1

$76.7 $76.7

-13.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.29 $18.29

$13.03 $13.03

40.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 $12.64

$14.93 $14.93

-15.34%

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

$1,445 $1,445

$2,063 $2,063

-29.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K $37.3K

$39.2K $39.2K

-4.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$64.3 $64.3

6.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.33 $41.33

$52.4 $52.4

-21.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 $77.7

$95.2 $95.2

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$145 $145

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 $2,643

$2,378 $2,378

11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,296 $2,296

$1,584 $1,584

44.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,146 $5,146

$4,763 $4,763

8.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,439 $4,439

$2,815 $2,815

57.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K $10.4K

$3,588 $3,588

189.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,888 $9,888

$2,490 $2,490

297.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,242 $5,242

$5,275 $5,275

-0.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.6

1.21%

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

Last update for Santa Barbara, CA: October 29, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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