Chicago vs San Francisco Cost of Living
Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 27% more expensive than Chicago.
- Rent in San Francisco is 66% more expensive than in Chicago.
- Transport in San Francisco is 24% more expensive than in Chicago.
| Item | Chicago | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +66% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,414 | $3,208 | +33% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,482 | $2,609 | +76% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $4,031 | $7,487 | +86% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,862 | $4,864 | +70% |
| Groceries | +14% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.25 | $1.31 | +5% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.47 | $4.2 | +21% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.76 | $5.82 | +22% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.23 | $4.57 | +8% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $13 | $16.3 | +25% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $12.6 | +21% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.2 | $22.3 | +16% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.05 | $5.88 | +16% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.88 | $2.46 | +31% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.74 | $4.54 | -4% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.43 | $5.5 | +1% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.6 | $3.06 | +18% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.33 | $2.72 | +17% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.75 | +21% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.2 | $2.41 | +10% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.8 | $15.4 | -3% |
| Transport | +24% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.26 | $3.1 | +37% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $108 | $139 | +29% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.52 | $4.48 | +27% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.59 | $1.91 | +20% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.82 | $0.99 | +21% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,668 | $27,640 | +12% |
| Dining out | +17% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.5 | $21.5 | +5% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $118 | $115 | -3% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.8 | $11.6 | +18% |
| Cappuccino | $4.47 | $5.52 | +23% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.58 | $3.04 | +18% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.87 | $8.59 | +46% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.42 | $8.71 | +17% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.09 | $2.32 | +11% |
| Telecom | +16% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $54.4 | $68.5 | +26% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $66.4 | $71.8 | +8% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.29 | $0.37 | +28% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15 | $15.8 | +5% |
| Utilities & household | +19% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $152 | $176 | +16% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.23 | +15% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.14 | $5.1 | +23% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.24 | $1.47 | +19% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $21.7 | $25.8 | +19% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.1 | $94.8 | +28% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15 | $17.5 | +17% |
| Men's haircut | $30 | $33.2 | +11% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $24.1 | $29.6 | +23% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,761 | $2,199 | +25% |
3,332 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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