Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Upland, CA: $2,406 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Upland, CA
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Upland, CA Living Index
146

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

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Upland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,406

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,406 per month in Upland, CA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Upland, CA $2,406
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,533 per month in Upland, CA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Upland, CA $3,533
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,661 per month in Upland, CA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Upland, CA $4,661
Chicago, IL $6,019

Upland, CA is about 22% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Upland, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Upland, CA by 78%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 $14.85

$20.39 $20.39

-27.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 $71.1

$88.6 $88.6

-19.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$12.85 $12.85

-7.16%

Cappuccino

$1.99 $1.99

$5.78 $5.78

-65.57%

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

$2.01 $2.01

$2.74 $2.74

-26.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.26 $2.26

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 $7.38

$6.88 $6.88

7.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.58 $9.58

$9.24 $9.24

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.26 $1.26

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.55 $3.55

-37.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$5.38 $5.38

-58.74%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$4.55 $4.55

2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$13.65 $13.65

-34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$14.07 $14.07

-52.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$18.06 $18.06

-15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.16 $5.16

-14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.88 $3.88

-16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.83 $4.83

22.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.81 $2.81

-20.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.67 $2.67

-17.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.07 $2.07

-4.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.03 $3.03

-39.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$13.90 $13.90

-14.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 $12.01

$15.05 $15.05

-20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.63 $2.63

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$3.45 $3.45

-62.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.43 $2.43

-25.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$75.3 $75.3

-19.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.17 $3.17

-0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.70 $1.70

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.62 $35.62

$24.90 $24.90

43.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.28 $1.28

10.16%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-18.21%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

2.60%

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

$167 $167

$192 $192

-13.21%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$69.6 $69.6

-2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 $59.3

$62.2 $62.2

-4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.63 $44.63

$47.79 $47.79

-6.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 $15.36

$17.83 $17.83

-13.85%

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

$1,879 $1,879

$1,815 $1,815

3.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K $18.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-55.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$66.2 $66.2

-12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.32 $39.32

$51.4 $51.4

-23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 $74.7

$103 $103

-27.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$143 $143

-15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 $1,562

$2,531 $2,531

-38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$1,621 $1,621

-22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$4,828 $4,828

-46.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 $2,102

$2,734 $2,734

-23.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 $2,531

$4,163 $4,163

-39.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,671 $2,671

$2,723 $2,723

-1.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,200 $5,200

$4,924 $4,924

5.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.78

-6.93%

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

Last update for Upland, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Upland, CA

$1.3K 52.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 29.1% $366

Groceries & Markets

Upland, CA

$319 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 37.7% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Upland, CA

$294 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 10.2% $30

Eating Out

Upland, CA

$251 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 37.2% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Upland, CA

$131 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 24.5% $32

Getting Around

Upland, CA

$80 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 21% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Upland, CA

$75 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 10.8% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,562 in Upland, CA versus $2,531 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 6% higher in Upland, 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 $71 in Upland, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $439 – making Upland, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Upland, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:32 5:32 PM

19:32 7:32 PM

2 h ahead of Upland, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,379

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Upland, CA Chicago, IL 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Upland, CA
Chicago, IL

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,406 in Upland, CA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Upland, CA comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,608 per month in Upland, CA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upland, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,562 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Upland, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Upland, CA, where all-in costs run around $2,406, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Upland, CA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,406 in Upland, CA to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Upland, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.