Cost of Living Comparison Between Walnut Creek, CA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Walnut Creek, CA and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Walnut Creek, CA is 1% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 12.1% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Walnut Creek, CA is 1% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 9.5% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.67 $21.67

$20.82 $20.82

4.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$100 $100

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.24 $14.24

$11.97 $11.97

18.96%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$5.56 $5.56

-0.18%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.11 $3.11

3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.42 $2.42

-12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$6.86 $6.86

17.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 $9.26

$8.45 $8.45

9.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.4 $1.4

$1.04 $1.04

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.15 $4.15

15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.52 $5.52

-26.45%

Eggs

$5.62 $5.62

$4.65 $4.65

20.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$14.33 $14.33

-61.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$14.88 $14.88

-56.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$19.34 $19.34

-67.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$5.17 $5.17

-11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.71 $1.71

13.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.4 $6.4

$4.41 $4.41

45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.51 $4.51

16.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.53 $2.53

-13.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.4 $3.4

$2.74 $2.74

24.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.43 $2.43

-13.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.7 $2.7

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 $11.21

$15.19 $15.19

-26.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 $17.98

$16.42 $16.42

9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.35 $2.35

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.7 $3.7

-40.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 $6.11

$2.53 $2.53

141.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.34 $3.34

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.42 $1.42

37.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.23 $40.23

$25.42 $25.42

58.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.08 $1.08

15.74%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$32.4K $32.4K

-6.61%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

5.72%

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

$326 $326

$188 $188

73.17%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$63.7 $63.7

-17.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$65.2 $65.2

10.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.5 $85.5

$76.7 $76.7

11.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.12 $15.12

$13.03 $13.03

16.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 $14.32

$14.93 $14.93

-4.09%

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

$2,201 $2,201

$2,063 $2,063

6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.6K $37.6K

$39.2K $39.2K

-3.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$64.3 $64.3

-0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 $62.2

$52.4 $52.4

18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 $90.2

$95.2 $95.2

-5.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$145 $145

-12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 $2,358

$2,378 $2,378

-0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 $1,944

$1,584 $1,584

22.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,386 $4,386

$4,763 $4,763

-7.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 $3,565

$2,815 $2,815

26.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,592 $2,592

$3,588 $3,588

-27.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,586 $6,586

$2,490 $2,490

164.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,062 $7,062

$5,275 $5,275

33.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.6

-0.76%

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

Last update for Walnut Creek, CA: October 29, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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