Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $4,309 in Tustin, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

210

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

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

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Tustin, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,309

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,309 per month in Tustin, CA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tustin, CA $4,309
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $5,936 per month in Tustin, CA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tustin, CA $5,936
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $7,563 per month in Tustin, CA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tustin, CA $7,563
Chicago, IL $6,077

Tustin, CA costs about 35% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Tustin, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Tustin, CA by 218%, Chicago, IL by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$20.65 $20.65

21.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 $69.5

$90.2 $90.2

-22.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$12.94 $12.94

16.46%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$5.60 $5.60

2.32%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.64 $2.64

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.27 $2.27

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 $7.26

$6.98 $6.98

4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.74 $9.74

$8.83 $8.83

10.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.27 $1.27

-5.51%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.80 $3.80

34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$5.30 $5.30

-9.81%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$4.76 $4.76

2.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$13.96 $13.96

12.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$14.61 $14.61

-8.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$18.77 $18.77

-19.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.19 $5.19

-11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.98 $1.98

25.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.93 $3.93

3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.96 $4.96

16.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.76 $2.76

32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.76 $2.76

15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.22 $2.22

-5.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.98 $2.98

-9.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.57 $11.57

$14.02 $14.02

-17.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.28 $15.28

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.58 $2.58

-5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.50 $3.50

25.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.47 $2.47

-17.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.59 $34.59

$74.8 $74.8

-53.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.34 $3.34

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.43 $1.43

26.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$24.32 $24.32

22.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.26 $1.26

19.05%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.26%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.83%

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

$214 $214

$193 $193

10.97%

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

$86.6 $86.6

$68.3 $68.3

26.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$61.3 $61.3

17.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.4 $96.4

$54.1 $54.1

78.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.25 $25.25

$27.92 $27.92

-9.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 $17.30

$17.74 $17.74

-2.48%

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

$1,465 $1,465

$1,652 $1,652

-11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$66.1 $66.1

9.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.10 $41.10

$51.2 $51.2

-19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$100 $100

4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$141 $141

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,131 $3,131

$2,446 $2,446

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,741 $2,741

$1,678 $1,678

63.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,420 $4,420

$4,717 $4,717

-6.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,160 $4,160

$2,795 $2,795

48.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,723 $7,723

$4,105 $4,105

88.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,320 $5,320

$2,650 $2,650

100.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,945 $4,945

$4,866 $4,866

1.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Tustin, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tustin, CA

$2.7K 63.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 38.8% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Tustin, CA

$453 10.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 0.9% $3.9

Eating Out

Tustin, CA

$392 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 12.5% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tustin, CA

$372 8.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 13.5% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Tustin, CA

$165 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 2% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Tustin, CA

$131 3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 31.6% $41

Getting Around

Tustin, CA

$55 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 73% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,131 in Tustin, 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 1% higher in Tustin, 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 $69.0 in Tustin, CA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $453 in Tustin, CA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tustin, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:32 3:32 AM

05:32 5:32 AM

2 h ahead of Tustin, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

69,665

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tustin, CA Chicago, IL 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Tustin, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,309 in Tustin, CA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,464 per month in Tustin, 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 0% more in Tustin, 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 $69.0 in Tustin, 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 $4,309 in Tustin, 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 $4,309 in Tustin, 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, Tustin, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.