Los Angeles vs Chicago Cost of Living
Los Angeles (United States) · Overall index 84.3 — Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6
Summary
- Overall, Chicago is 12% cheaper than Los Angeles.
- Rent in Chicago is 24% cheaper than in Los Angeles.
- Utilities & household in Chicago is 13% cheaper than in Los Angeles.
| Item | Los Angeles | Chicago | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -24% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,015 | $2,414 | -20% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,094 | $1,482 | -29% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $5,390 | $4,031 | -25% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $3,727 | $2,862 | -23% |
| Groceries | -8% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.22 | $1.25 | +2% |
| White bread (500g) | $4.23 | $3.47 | -18% |
| Rice (1kg) | $5.36 | $4.76 | -11% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.45 | $4.23 | -5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.9 | $13 | +1% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $13.9 | $10.4 | -25% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.4 | $19.2 | -1% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.63 | $5.05 | -10% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $2.08 | $1.88 | -10% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.73 | $4.74 | 0% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.89 | $5.43 | -8% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.66 | $2.6 | -2% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.62 | $2.33 | -11% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.64 | $2.27 | -14% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.4 | $2.2 | -8% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.1 | $15.8 | +5% |
| Transport | -10% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.52 | $2.26 | -10% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $123 | $108 | -12% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.66 | $3.52 | -4% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.93 | $1.59 | -18% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.95 | $0.82 | -14% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,629 | $24,668 | 0% |
| Dining out | -6% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $19.4 | $20.5 | +6% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $120 | $118 | -2% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.6 | $9.8 | -8% |
| Cappuccino | $5.3 | $4.47 | -16% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.52 | $2.58 | +2% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $7.79 | $5.87 | -25% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $8.45 | $7.42 | -12% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.83 | $2.09 | +14% |
| Telecom | +1% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $53.8 | $54.4 | +1% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $58.1 | $66.4 | +14% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.32 | $0.29 | -9% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15 | $15 | 0% |
| Utilities & household | -13% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $181 | $152 | -16% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.24 | $0.2 | -17% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.85 | $4.14 | -15% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.31 | $1.24 | -5% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $22.7 | $21.7 | -4% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $88.5 | $74.1 | -16% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $16.8 | $15 | -11% |
| Men's haircut | $30.7 | $30 | -2% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $27.9 | $24.1 | -14% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $2,276 | $1,761 | -23% |
3,315 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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