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

🙂 Solo nomad: Sunnyvale, CA is 9.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 29.2% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Sunnyvale, CA is 12.3% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 9.3% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.41 $22.41

$20.82 $20.82

7.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 $65.8

$100 $100

-34.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.8 $10.8

$11.97 $11.97

-9.77%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.56 $5.56

1.26%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$3.11 $3.11

-18.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.42 $2.42

6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.28 $7.28

$6.86 $6.86

6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.45 $8.45

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.3 $1.3

$1.04 $1.04

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.74 $4.74

$4.15 $4.15

14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.52 $5.52

-20.83%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$4.65 $4.65

-22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$14.33 $14.33

-24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$14.88 $14.88

-26.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$19.34 $19.34

-26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.17 $5.17

-23.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.71 $1.71

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.41 $4.41

-11.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5 $5

$4.51 $4.51

10.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.53 $2.53

-2.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.74 $2.74

-18.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.43 $2.43

5.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.7 $2.7

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.37 $8.37

$15.19 $15.19

-44.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$16.42 $16.42

-27.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.35 $2.35

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.7 $3.7

-31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.53 $2.53

16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.31 $30.31

$74.1 $74.1

-59.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.34 $3.34

20.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.9 $1.9

$1.42 $1.42

33.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.37 $38.37

$25.42 $25.42

50.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.08 $1.08

14.81%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$32.4K $32.4K

-15.26%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

3.82%

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

$184 $184

$188 $188

-2.14%

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

$51 $51

$63.7 $63.7

-19.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$65.2 $65.2

-7.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.19 $49.19

$76.7 $76.7

-35.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.36 $16.36

$13.03 $13.03

25.56%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 $16.91

$14.93 $14.93

13.26%

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

$2,677 $2,677

$2,063 $2,063

29.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.5K $37.5K

$39.2K $39.2K

-4.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 $62.3

$64.3 $64.3

-3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$52.4 $52.4

-34.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 $98.6

$95.2 $95.2

3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$145 $145

3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,729 $2,729

$2,378 $2,378

14.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$1,584 $1,584

65.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,997 $4,997

$4,763 $4,763

4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,042 $4,042

$2,815 $2,815

43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,023 $9,023

$3,588 $3,588

151.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,868 $8,868

$2,490 $2,490

256.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,826 $8,826

$5,275 $5,275

67.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.6

-3.64%

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

Last update for Sunnyvale, CA: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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