Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,520 in Torrance, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

172

Cost of Living Index in Torrance, CA
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Torrance, CA Living Index
153

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

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Torrance, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,520

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,520 per month in Torrance, CA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Torrance, CA $3,520
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $5,192 per month in Torrance, CA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Torrance, CA $5,192
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,864 per month in Torrance, CA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Torrance, CA $6,864
Chicago, IL $6,077

Torrance, CA costs about 11% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Torrance, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Torrance, CA by 161%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 $24.76

$21.58 $21.58

14.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$88.7 $88.7

-11.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.75 $14.75

$13.20 $13.20

11.74%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$5.59 $5.59

-16.64%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$2.63 $2.63

43.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.26 $2.26

21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$7.11 $7.11

13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$9.23 $9.23

6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.28 $1.28

0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.84 $3.84

22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$5.07 $5.07

-3.55%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$4.84 $4.84

-7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$14.17 $14.17

-18.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$14.61 $14.61

9.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 $19.91

$18.76 $18.76

6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.19 $5.19

-3.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.00 $2.00

16.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$4.00 $4.00

18.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$4.98 $4.98

11.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.79 $2.79

9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.65 $2.65

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.13 $2.13

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.09 $3.09

-15.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.92 $12.92

$16.05 $16.05

-19.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.20 $15.20

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.62 $2.62

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.46 $3.46

-11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.47 $2.47

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 $40.40

$75.1 $75.1

-46.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.21 $3.21

-2.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.39 $1.39

32.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.67 $32.67

$25.02 $25.02

30.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.24 $1.24

17.74%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.09%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.76%

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

$256 $256

$192 $192

33.13%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$67.8 $67.8

-21.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$60.9 $60.9

18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 $59.3

$53.6 $53.6

10.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.36 $25.36

$27.90 $27.90

-9.10%

Cinema Ticket

$19.95 $19.95

$17.80 $17.80

12.08%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$1,554 $1,554

8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$31.4K $31.4K

-51.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$67.9 $67.9

-4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 $63.7

$50.8 $50.8

25.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$101 $101

5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 $192

$143 $143

34.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$2,383 $2,383

9.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$1,712 $1,712

13.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$4,674 $4,674

-8.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,426 $3,426

$2,738 $2,738

25.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,546 $7,546

$4,158 $4,158

81.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,336 $6,336

$2,691 $2,691

135.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,675 $5,675

$4,894 $4,894

15.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.77

-5.61%

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

Last update for Torrance, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Torrance, CA

$1.9K 55.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 11.8% $229

Groceries & Markets

Torrance, CA

$461 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 2.2% $10

Eating Out

Torrance, CA

$384 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 8.2% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Torrance, CA

$381 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 15.8% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Torrance, CA

$192 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 14.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Torrance, CA

$99 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 10.1% $10

Getting Around

Torrance, CA

$61 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 57% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,612 in Torrance, CA versus $2,383 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 16% higher in Torrance, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Torrance, CA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $461 in Torrance, CA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Torrance, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:24 4:24 PM

18:24 6:24 PM

2 h ahead of Torrance, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

142,350

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

Torrance, CA Chicago, IL 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Torrance, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,520 in Torrance, CA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,280 per month in Torrance, CA and $4,777 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 Torrance, 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 $79.0 in Torrance, CA and $89.0 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 $3,520 in Torrance, CA and $3,185 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,520 in Torrance, CA. 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Torrance, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.