Chicago vs Los Angeles Cost of Living
Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6 — Los Angeles (United States) · Overall index 84.3
Summary
- Overall, Los Angeles is 13% more expensive than Chicago.
- Rent in Los Angeles is 32% more expensive than in Chicago.
- Utilities & household in Los Angeles is 14% more expensive than in Chicago.
| Item | Chicago | Los Angeles | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +32% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,414 | $3,015 | +25% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,482 | $2,094 | +41% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $4,031 | $5,390 | +34% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,862 | $3,727 | +30% |
| Groceries | +8% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.25 | $1.22 | -2% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.47 | $4.23 | +22% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.76 | $5.36 | +13% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.23 | $4.45 | +5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $13 | $12.9 | -1% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $13.9 | +34% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.2 | $19.4 | +1% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.05 | $5.63 | +11% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.88 | $2.08 | +11% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.74 | $4.73 | 0% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.43 | $5.89 | +8% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.6 | $2.66 | +2% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.33 | $2.62 | +12% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.64 | +16% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.2 | $2.4 | +9% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.8 | $15.1 | -4% |
| Transport | +11% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.26 | $2.52 | +12% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $108 | $123 | +14% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.52 | $3.66 | +4% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.59 | $1.93 | +21% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.82 | $0.95 | +16% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,668 | $24,629 | 0% |
| Dining out | +7% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.5 | $19.4 | -5% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $118 | $120 | +2% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.8 | $10.6 | +8% |
| Cappuccino | $4.47 | $5.3 | +19% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.58 | $2.52 | -2% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.87 | $7.79 | +33% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.42 | $8.45 | +14% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.09 | $1.83 | -12% |
| Telecom | -1% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $54.4 | $53.8 | -1% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $66.4 | $58.1 | -13% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.29 | $0.32 | +10% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15 | $15 | 0% |
| Utilities & household | +14% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $152 | $181 | +19% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.24 | +20% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.14 | $4.85 | +17% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.24 | $1.31 | +6% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $21.7 | $22.7 | +5% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.1 | $88.5 | +19% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15 | $16.8 | +12% |
| Men's haircut | $30 | $30.7 | +2% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $24.1 | $27.9 | +16% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,761 | $2,276 | +29% |
3,315 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs