Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yreka, CA: $2,688 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Yreka, CA, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Yreka, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,688
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Yreka, CA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Yreka, CA $2,688
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,872 per month in Yreka, CA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Yreka, CA $3,872
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,056 per month in Yreka, CA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Yreka, CA $5,056
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Yreka, CA is about 11% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Yreka, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Yreka, CA by 98%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.69 $17.69
$20.71 $20.71
-14.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.2 $75.2
$89.2 $89.2
-15.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.12 $11.12
$13.19 $13.19
-15.69%
Cappuccino
$5.11 $5.11
$5.66 $5.66
-9.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 $2.83
$2.64 $2.64
7.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 $2.01
$2.28 $2.28
-11.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.96 $5.96
$6.87 $6.87
-13.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95 $5.95
$8.84 $8.84
-32.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.25 $1.25
-14.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.86 $3.86
$3.72 $3.72
3.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.33 $5.33
$5.39 $5.39
-1.11%
Eggs
$3.81 $3.81
$4.74 $4.74
-19.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.10 $10.10
$13.84 $13.84
-27.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.93 $13.93
$14.40 $14.40
-3.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.56 $19.56
$18.38 $18.38
6.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$5.22 $5.22
-27.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 $1.67
$1.98 $1.98
-15.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 $3.75
$4.06 $4.06
-7.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.33 $3.33
$4.97 $4.97
-33.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 $2.10
$2.67 $2.67
-21.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 $2.19
$2.66 $2.66
-17.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.24 $2.24
-11.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$3.13 $3.13
-38.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.54 $11.54
$13.82 $13.82
-16.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.41 $13.41
$14.88 $14.88
-9.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$2.54 $2.54
-31.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 $3.56
$3.51 $3.51
1.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.83 $1.83
$2.43 $2.43
-24.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.4 $62.4
$73.5 $73.5
-15.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 $4.98
$3.18 $3.18
56.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.29 $1.29
$1.39 $1.39
-7.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.51 $30.51
$25.03 $25.03
21.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.20 $1.20
8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$35.0K $35.0K
-27.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K $24.4K
$26.7K $26.7K
-8.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$150 $150
$194 $194
-22.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.52 $45.52
$69.5 $69.5
-34.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.3 $64.3
$61.6 $61.6
4.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.68 $36.68
$47.90 $47.90
-23.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.88 $13.88
$17.81 $17.81
-22.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,239 $1,239
$1,794 $1,794
-30.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K $12.3K
$31.9K $31.9K
-61.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2 $58.2
$67.0 $67.0
-13.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.77 $44.77
$52.1 $52.1
-14.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.6 $97.6
$102 $102
-3.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$144 $144
-27.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,669 $1,669
$2,526 $2,526
-33.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$1,578 $1,578
-7.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,355 $2,355
$4,738 $4,738
-50.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,283 $2,283
$2,693 $2,693
-15.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,123 $3,123
$4,190 $4,190
-25.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,479 $2,479
$2,768 $2,768
-10.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yreka, CA
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,064 $2,064
$4,931 $4,931
-58.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
6.81
-2.06%

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

Last update for Yreka, 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
Yreka, CA
$1.5K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 8.2% $120
Groceries & Markets
Yreka, CA
$390
Chicago, IL
$447 14.8% $58
Eating Out
Yreka, CA
$297
Chicago, IL
$345 16% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yreka, CA
$260
Chicago, IL
$326 25.2% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Yreka, CA
$137
Chicago, IL
$164 19.6% $27
Getting Around
Yreka, CA
$81
Chicago, IL
$93 15.1% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Yreka, CA
$64
Chicago, IL
$84 29.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,669 in Yreka, 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.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Yreka, CA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $447 – making Yreka, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Yreka, CA
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
10:43 10:43 AM
12:43 12:43 PM
2 h ahead of Yreka, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,800
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yreka, CA Chicago, IL 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yreka, 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
Yreka, CA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Yreka, CA and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,688 in Yreka, CA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Yreka, CA compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,032 per month in Yreka, CA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Yreka, CA and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yreka, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,669 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Yreka, CA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,688 in Yreka, CA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Yreka, CA or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Yreka, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Yreka, CA and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Yreka, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Yreka, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?