Chicago vs San Diego - Cost of Living Comparison

Chicago San Diego
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2372
$2965
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$5663
$5916
🏠 One person rent
$1412
$1994
🏘️ Family rent
$2402
$2743
🍽️ Food expenses
$585
$620
🚐 Transport expenses
$210
$181
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5314
$5561
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Good
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
3 km
🎓 Higher education
100
89
😀 Quality of life
96
91
🏙️ Population
2.75M
1.39M

The cost of living in Chicago is 20% less expensive than in San Diego. Cities ranked 254th and 45th ($2372 vs $2965) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 195th and 35th in the United States.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Chicago compared to 1.9 months in San Diego. Ranked 1st vs 18th best cities to live in the United States, and 11th vs 96th 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 San Diego infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs San Diego

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

Chicago San Diego
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$16.8
$16.6
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$62.8
$71.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.52
$10.6
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$5.86
$7.95
 Cappuccino
$5.14
$5.03
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.6
$2.67
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1692
$2176
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1112
$1693
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3028
$3654
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1930
$2169
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$124
$133
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$192
$205
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$60.8
$71.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.59%
5.39%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4099
$9903
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2764
$8836
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.5
$2.52
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$77.1
$75.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17.1
$18.4
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.21
$1.44
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$1.11
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.81
$3.68
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.12
$3.98
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.12
$6
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.8
$12.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12
$12.7
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.4
$17.5
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.41
$4.25
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.87
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$3.26
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.1
$4.01
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.99
$2.67
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$2.47
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.51
$1.29
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.21
$2.77
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.6
$13.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.75
$3.25
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15.6
$9.97
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.5
$12.7
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.76
$7.02
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$4.92
$4.92
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.98
$2.16
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$49.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.5
$14.8
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$101
$124
💇 Haircut, simple
$26.3
$22.5
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.8
$58.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.3
$96.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1798
$1366
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$21587
$16376

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

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 San Diego

Distance City Cost of living
4.2 km or 2.6 mi Coronado
$2018
7.2 km or 4.5 mi National
$2010
13 km or 7.8 mi Lemon Grove
$2020
14 km or 9 mi Chula Vista
$2923
14 km or 9 mi La Mesa
$2169
16 km or 9.8 mi Imperial Beach
$2012
18 km or 11 mi La Jolla
$2018
21 km or 13 mi El Cajon
$2218
24 km or 15 mi Tijuana
$1015
25 km or 15 mi Santee
$2011
30 km or 19 mi Poway
$2018
38 km or 24 mi Encinitas
$2238
40 km or 25 mi Las Delicias
$692
43 km or 26 mi Rosarito Beach
$690
46 km or 29 mi Escondido
$2886
47 km or 30 mi San Marcos
$2025
52 km or 33 mi Carlsbad
$3078
54 km or 33 mi Vista
$2790
57 km or 36 mi Oceanside
$2854
73 km or 46 mi Fallbrook
$1983
88 km or 55 mi Temecula
$2927
91 km or 57 mi San Clemente
$2627
95 km or 59 mi Murrieta
$2702
97 km or 61 mi Dana Point
$2019
98 km or 61 mi French Valley
$2010
99 km or 61 mi San Juan Capistrano
$2022
99 km or 61 mi Wildomar
$2016
104 km or 65 mi Laguna Niguel
$2677
107 km or 66 mi Laguna Beach
$2010
107 km or 67 mi Menifee
$2309
109 km or 68 mi Ensenada
$761
109 km or 68 mi Lake Elsinore
$2084
110 km or 68 mi Mission Viejo
$2188
110 km or 69 mi Laguna Hills
$2009
111 km or 69 mi Rancho Santa Margarita
$2184
114 km or 71 mi Aliso Viejo
$2061
114 km or 71 mi Lake Forest
$2332
115 km or 72 mi Hemet
$2552
119 km or 74 mi Perris
$2024
119 km or 74 mi Temescal Valley
$2010