Chicago vs Los Angeles - Cost of Living Comparison

Chicago Los Angeles
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2372
$2975
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$5663
$6193
🏠 One person rent
$1412
$1911
🏘️ Family rent
$2402
$2725
🍽️ Food expenses
$585
$621
🚐 Transport expenses
$210
$260
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5314
$5327
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
17 km
🎓 Higher education
100
99
😀 Quality of life
96
92
🏙️ Population
2.75M
3.9M

The cost of living in Chicago is 20% less expensive than in Los Angeles. Cities ranked 254th and 39th ($2372 vs $2975) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 195th and 31st in the United States.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Chicago compared to 1.8 months in Los Angeles. Ranked 1st vs 11th best cities to live in the United States, and 11th vs 64th among the best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chicago vs Los Angeles infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Los Angeles

Prices for goods and services in Chicago and Los Angeles are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chicago Los Angeles
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$16.8
$17.9
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$62.8
$74.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.52
$10.5
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$5.86
$7.96
☕ Cappuccino
$5.14
$5.43
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.6
$2.7
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1692
$2166
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1112
$1644
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3028
$3759
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1930
$2194
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$124
$100
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$192
$156
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$60.8
$63.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.59%
5.27%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4099
$9200
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2764
$6049
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.5
$1.75
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$77.1
$101
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17.1
$17.3
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.21
$1.46
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$1.19
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.81
$2.68
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.12
$3.59
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.12
$4.78
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.8
$13.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12
$12.9
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.4
$18.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.41
$4.47
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.78
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$3.39
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.1
$3.68
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.99
$2.15
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$2.23
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.51
$1.38
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.21
$2.96
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.6
$14.4
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.75
$3.79
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15.6
$10.8
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.5
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.76
$7.93
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$4.92
$4.87
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.98
$2.15
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$53.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.5
$16.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$101
$121
💇 Haircut, simple
$26.3
$30.2
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.8
$59.3
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.3
$103
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1798
$1420
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$21587
$23021

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Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022

Cities near Los Angeles

Distance City Cost of living
8.1 km or 5 mi Huntington Park
$2070
8.9 km or 5.5 mi Maywood
$2007
9.2 km or 5.7 mi Florence-Graham
$2024
10 km or 6.2 mi Bell
$2018
10 km or 6.2 mi Monterey Park
$2412
11 km or 6.6 mi Alhambra
$2664
11 km or 6.6 mi South Pasadena
$2010
11 km or 7 mi Cudahy
$2013
12 km or 7.6 mi San Gabriel
$2025
12 km or 7.7 mi Bell Gardens
$2027
12 km or 7.8 mi West Hollywood
$3195
13 km or 7.8 mi Montebello
$2019
13 km or 8 mi South Gate
$2027
13 km or 8.2 mi Glendale
$2261
14 km or 8.8 mi Inglewood
$2026
15 km or 9 mi Beverly Hills
$1935
15 km or 9.1 mi Lynwood
$2022
15 km or 9.3 mi Rosemead
$2009
15 km or 9.5 mi Culver
$2008
15 km or 9.6 mi Pasadena
$2517
16 km or 9.9 mi Pico Rivera
$2013
16 km or 10 mi Burbank
$2847
16 km or 10 mi Downey
$2010
17 km or 11 mi Compton
$2032
18 km or 11 mi La Canada Flintridge
$2019
18 km or 11 mi Hawthorne
$1951
18 km or 11 mi Temple
$2019
18 km or 11 mi South El Monte
$2009
18 km or 11 mi West Whittier-Los Nietos
$2009
18 km or 11 mi Paramount
$2026
19 km or 12 mi Gardena
$2024
20 km or 12 mi El Monte
$2019
21 km or 13 mi Lawndale
$2006
21 km or 13 mi Arcadia
$1949
21 km or 13 mi Bellflower
$2032
22 km or 14 mi Norwalk
$2485
22 km or 14 mi Santa Monica
$3211
22 km or 14 mi Whittier
$2021
23 km or 15 mi Manhattan Beach
$2160
24 km or 15 mi Carson
$2099