Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,426 in Ventura, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ventura, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

167

Cost of Living Index in Ventura, CA
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Ventura, CA Living Index
147

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

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Ventura, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,426

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,426 per month in Ventura, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ventura, CA $3,426
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,733 per month in Ventura, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ventura, CA $4,733
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,041 per month in Ventura, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ventura, CA $6,041
Chicago, IL $5,999

Ventura, CA costs about 13% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ventura, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Ventura, CA by 152%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.54 $24.54

$20.71 $20.71

18.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 $68.9

$89.2 $89.2

-22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 $11.69

$13.19 $13.19

-11.37%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.66 $5.66

-0.53%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.64 $2.64

7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.28 $2.28

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$6.87 $6.87

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.84 $8.84

4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.25 $1.25

-4.80%

White Bread (500g)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.72 $3.72

58.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$5.39 $5.39

-60.11%

Eggs

$4.99 $4.99

$4.74 $4.74

5.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$13.84 $13.84

-37.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

$14.40 $14.40

-37.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$18.38 $18.38

-22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$5.22 $5.22

-36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.98 $1.98

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$4.06 $4.06

-20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.97 $4.97

-9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.67 $2.67

-17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.66 $2.66

34.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.24 $2.24

-9.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.13 $3.13

-29.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.73 $10.73

$13.82 $13.82

-22.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 $14.62

$14.88 $14.88

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.54 $2.54

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.51 $3.51

-23.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.43 $2.43

-19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 $57.6

$73.5 $73.5

-21.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.18 $3.18

38.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.39 $1.39

35.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.57 $35.57

$25.03 $25.03

42.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.20 $1.20

23.33%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.04%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.13%

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

$148 $148

$194 $194

-23.92%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$69.5 $69.5

-17.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$61.6 $61.6

15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.49 $35.49

$47.90 $47.90

-25.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 $19.86

$27.34 $27.34

-27.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$17.81 $17.81

-33.35%

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

$1,109 $1,109

$1,794 $1,794

-38.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.3K $43.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

35.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$67.0 $67.0

-24.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.68 $29.68

$52.1 $52.1

-43.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 $66.0

$102 $102

-34.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 $85.4

$144 $144

-40.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$2,526 $2,526

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 $2,171

$1,578 $1,578

37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,691 $3,691

$4,738 $4,738

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,239 $3,239

$2,693 $2,693

20.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,859 $6,859

$4,190 $4,190

63.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,677 $5,677

$2,768 $2,768

105.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,831 $4,831

$4,931 $4,931

-2.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.81

-5.43%

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

Last update for Ventura, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ventura, CA

$2.2K 63.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 27.3% $593

Eating Out

Ventura, CA

$371 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 6.9% $26

Groceries & Markets

Ventura, CA

$365 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 22.5% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ventura, CA

$276 8.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 17.8% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Ventura, CA

$104 3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 57.4% $60

Getting Around

Ventura, CA

$79 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 18% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Ventura, CA

$59 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 41% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,668 in Ventura, CA versus $2,526 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Ventura, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $447 – making Ventura, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ventura, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

09:15 9:15 AM

2 h ahead of Ventura, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

104,423

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Ventura, CA Chicago, IL 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Ventura, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,426 in Ventura, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,138 per month in Ventura, CA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,668 in Ventura, CA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Ventura, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Ventura, CA and $89 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 $3,426 in Ventura, CA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $3,426 in Ventura, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.