Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saratoga, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Saratoga, CA: $2,517 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Saratoga, CA
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Saratoga, CA Living Index
152

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

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Saratoga, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,517

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,517 per month in Saratoga, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saratoga, CA $2,517
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,732 per month in Saratoga, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saratoga, CA $3,732
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,947 per month in Saratoga, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saratoga, CA $4,947
Chicago, IL $6,115

Saratoga, CA is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saratoga, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Saratoga, CA by 86%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 $25.17

$20.65 $20.65

21.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 $110

$90.2 $90.2

21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$12.94 $12.94

1.70%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$5.60 $5.60

-11.07%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$2.64 $2.64

-25.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.27 $2.27

-56.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 $3.09

$6.98 $6.98

-55.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$8.83 $8.83

-31.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.27 $1.27

2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.80 $3.80

-10.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.30 $5.30

-38.68%

Eggs

$3.95 $3.95

$4.76 $4.76

-17.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$13.96 $13.96

-60.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$14.61 $14.61

-70.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$18.77 $18.77

-42.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.19 $5.19

-10.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.98 $1.98

-45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$3.93 $3.93

-71.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.96 $4.96

-34.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 $0.76

$2.76 $2.76

-72.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.76 $2.76

-71.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.22 $2.22

-44.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.98 $2.98

-51.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.72 $11.72

$14.02 $14.02

-16.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$15.28 $15.28

-74.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.58 $2.58

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.50 $3.50

32.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.47 $2.47

-17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 $65.9

$74.8 $74.8

-11.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.34 $3.34

5.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.43 $1.43

-37.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.05 $26.05

$24.32 $24.32

7.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.26 $1.26

17.46%

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

$21.9K $21.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-37.47%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-5.40%

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

$288 $288

$193 $193

49.60%

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

$35.61 $35.61

$68.3 $68.3

-47.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.64 $29.64

$61.3 $61.3

-51.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 $40.95

$54.1 $54.1

-24.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.11 $15.11

$27.92 $27.92

-45.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 $7.96

$17.74 $17.74

-55.13%

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

$1,407 $1,407

$1,652 $1,652

-14.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.0K $42.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

35.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.80 $39.80

$66.1 $66.1

-39.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.03 $25.03

$51.2 $51.2

-51.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 $76.1

$100 $100

-24.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$141 $141

7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$2,446 $2,446

-35.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 $1,304

$1,678 $1,678

-22.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 $2,492

$4,717 $4,717

-47.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 $2,139

$2,795 $2,795

-23.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,515 $2,515

$4,105 $4,105

-38.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,359 $2,359

$2,650 $2,650

-10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,088 $8,088

$4,866 $4,866

66.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-11.89%

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

Last update for Saratoga, 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

Saratoga, CA

$1.3K 51.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 28.7% $374

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saratoga, CA

$354 14%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 8.8% $31

Eating Out

Saratoga, CA

$340 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 1% $3.4

Groceries & Markets

Saratoga, CA

$249 9.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 80.3% $200

Clothing & Footwear

Saratoga, CA

$132 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 22.5% $30

Getting Around

Saratoga, CA

$82 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 16.1% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Saratoga, CA

$57 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 57.6% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,584 in Saratoga, 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 66% higher in Saratoga, CA, 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 $110 in Saratoga, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Saratoga, CA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Saratoga, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saratoga, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:10 1:10 AM

03:10 3:10 AM

2 h ahead of Saratoga, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,153

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Saratoga, CA Chicago, IL 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Saratoga, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,517 in Saratoga, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,776 per month in Saratoga, 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 Saratoga, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Chicago, IL, 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 $110 in Saratoga, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,517 in Saratoga, 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 $2,517 in Saratoga, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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