Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,442 in Santa Rosa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

166

Cost of Living Index in Santa Rosa, CA
Learn more

Santa Rosa, CA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Santa Rosa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,442

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,442 per month in Santa Rosa, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Santa Rosa, CA $3,442
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,030 per month in Santa Rosa, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Santa Rosa, CA $5,030
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,617 per month in Santa Rosa, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Santa Rosa, CA $6,617
Chicago, IL $5,999

Santa Rosa, CA costs about 13% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Santa Rosa, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Santa Rosa, CA by 153%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.06 $27.06

$20.71 $20.71

30.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 $90.5

$89.2 $89.2

1.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$13.19 $13.19

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.66 $5.66

16.61%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.64 $2.64

21.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.28 $2.28

38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.87 $6.87

14.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$8.84 $8.84

0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.25 $1.25

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.72 $3.72

23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$5.39 $5.39

-11.87%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.74 $4.74

14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.62 $22.62

$13.84 $13.84

63.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.40 $14.40

5.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.99 $20.99

$18.38 $18.38

14.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$5.22 $5.22

16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.98 $1.98

26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.06 $4.06

66.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$4.97 $4.97

37.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.67 $2.67

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.66 $2.66

30.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.24 $2.24

36.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.13 $3.13

-37.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$13.82 $13.82

-15.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$14.88 $14.88

-20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.54 $2.54

-14.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.51 $3.51

-41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.43 $2.43

-37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 $50.2

$73.5 $73.5

-31.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.18 $3.18

23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.39 $1.39

40.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$25.03 $25.03

17.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.20 $1.20

24.17%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.51%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.15%

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

$196 $196

$194 $194

0.75%

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

$49.40 $49.40

$69.5 $69.5

-28.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$61.6 $61.6

16.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.2 $68.2

$47.90 $47.90

42.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 $13.99

$27.34 $27.34

-48.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 $14.27

$17.81 $17.81

-19.88%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$1,794 $1,794

-30.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

25.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$67.0 $67.0

-24.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 $36.55

$52.1 $52.1

-29.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$102 $102

3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$144 $144

-11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$2,526 $2,526

-7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 $1,893

$1,578 $1,578

19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,569 $3,569

$4,738 $4,738

-24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,100 $3,100

$2,693 $2,693

15.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,019 $5,019

$4,190 $4,190

19.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 $4,908

$2,768 $2,768

77.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,740 $4,740

$4,931 $4,931

-3.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.81

-5.14%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa, 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

Santa Rosa, CA

$1.9K 55%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 16.6% $315

Groceries & Markets

Santa Rosa, CA

$507 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 11.8% $60

Eating Out

Santa Rosa, CA

$415 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 16.9% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Rosa, CA

$317 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.8% $8.7

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Rosa, CA

$143 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 14.3% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Rosa, CA

$97 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 13.7% $13

Getting Around

Santa Rosa, CA

$70 2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 33.4% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,336 in Santa Rosa, 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 4% 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 $91 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Rosa, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:36 6:36 PM

20:36 8:36 PM

2 h ahead of Santa Rosa, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

174,972

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Santa Rosa, CA Chicago, IL 2,990 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,442 in Santa Rosa, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,164 per month in Santa Rosa, CA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,336 in Santa Rosa, CA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 32% less in Santa Rosa, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Santa Rosa, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,442 in Santa Rosa, 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 $3,442 in Santa Rosa, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.