Chicago vs San Diego Cost of Living
Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 7% more expensive than Chicago.
- Rent in San Diego is 20% more expensive than in Chicago.
- Transport in San Diego is 11% more expensive than in Chicago.
| Item | Chicago | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +20% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,414 | $2,906 | +20% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,482 | $1,560 | +5% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $4,031 | $5,348 | +33% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,862 | $3,541 | +24% |
| Groceries | +4% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.25 | $1.29 | +3% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.47 | $3.77 | +9% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.76 | $4.26 | -11% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.23 | $4.41 | +4% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $13 | $14.8 | +14% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $12.7 | +22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.2 | $19.1 | -1% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.05 | $5.14 | +2% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.88 | $1.82 | -3% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.74 | $3.98 | -16% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.43 | $5.15 | -5% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.6 | $3.07 | +18% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.33 | $2.92 | +25% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.36 | +4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.2 | $2.61 | +19% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.8 | $15.1 | -4% |
| Transport | +11% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.26 | $2.68 | +19% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $108 | $122 | +13% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.52 | $3.68 | +5% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.59 | $1.86 | +17% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.82 | $0.87 | +6% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,668 | $26,442 | +7% |
| Dining out | +1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.5 | $22.6 | +10% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $118 | $107 | -9% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.8 | $11.9 | +21% |
| Cappuccino | $4.47 | $5.18 | +16% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.58 | $2.16 | -16% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.87 | $5.99 | +2% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.42 | $7.37 | -1% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.09 | $1.87 | -11% |
| Telecom | -2% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $54.4 | $63.4 | +17% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $66.4 | $55.3 | -17% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.29 | $0.31 | +7% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15 | $13.3 | -11% |
| Utilities & household | +3% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $152 | $153 | +1% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.2 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.14 | $4.02 | -3% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.24 | $1.46 | +18% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $21.7 | $20.8 | -4% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.1 | $79.6 | +7% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15 | $15.3 | +2% |
| Men's haircut | $30 | $27.1 | -10% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $24.1 | $26.6 | +10% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,761 | $2,070 | +18% |
3,072 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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