Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco, CA and Chicago, IL 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Chicago, IL is 21.5% lower than in San Francisco, CA (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Chicago, IL is 24.8% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Rent Prices in Chicago, IL are 29.8% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Restaurant Prices in Chicago, IL are 25.8% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Groceries Prices in Chicago, IL are 17.8% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Chicago, IL is 2.1% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
Restaurants | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 30.00 $ | 20.50 $ | -31.7 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 150.00 $ | 100.00 $ | -33.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 15.00 $ | 12.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 8.00 $ | 7.00 $ | -12.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 9.00 $ | 8.18 $ | -9.1 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.72 $ | 5.43 $ | -5.0 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.21 $ | 3.10 $ | -3.4 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.67 $ | 2.37 $ | -10.9 % |
Markets | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.54 $ | 1.19 $ | -22.8 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 4.69 $ | 3.72 $ | -20.7 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2.77 $ | 2.44 $ | -11.8 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 6.18 $ | 5.38 $ | -13.0 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 10.39 $ | 6.32 $ | -39.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 5.93 $ | 6.59 $ | +11.1 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 10.54 $ | 8.45 $ | -19.9 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 3.25 $ | 2.37 $ | -27.0 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 1.30 $ | 0.81 $ | -37.7 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.50 $ | 1.79 $ | -28.4 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 3.46 $ | 2.02 $ | -41.5 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.62 $ | 1.17 $ | -27.7 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.93 $ | 1.25 $ | -35.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.94 $ | 2.46 $ | -16.3 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.85 $ | 2.68 $ | -6.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 18.00 $ | 15.50 $ | -13.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.95 $ | 2.82 $ | -4.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.68 $ | 3.51 $ | -4.6 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 13.00 $ | 16.94 $ | +30.3 % |
Transportation | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 $ | 2.50 $ | -16.7 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 92.50 $ | 75.00 $ | -18.9 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.15 $ | 3.25 $ | -21.7 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.27 $ | 2.25 $ | -31.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 39.00 $ | 25.00 $ | -35.9 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.26 $ | 0.98 $ | -22.5 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 36,998.00 $ | 36,531.00 $ | -1.3 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 26,059.42 $ | 26,411.35 $ | +1.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 231.78 $ | 183.99 $ | -20.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 66.61 $ | 70.09 $ | +5.2 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 69.84 $ | 66.70 $ | -4.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 113.95 $ | 70.38 $ | -38.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 21.88 $ | 29.00 $ | +32.6 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 17.00 $ | 16.54 $ | -2.7 % |
Childcare | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 2,972.59 $ | 1,965.00 $ | -33.9 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 42,000.00 $ | 38,168.75 $ | -9.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 70.62 $ | 65.50 $ | -7.3 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 46.75 $ | 47.92 $ | +2.5 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 99.74 $ | 99.23 $ | -0.5 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 125.76 $ | 145.00 $ | +15.3 % |
Rent Per Month | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,334.02 $ | 2,380.21 $ | -28.6 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,676.48 $ | 1,630.71 $ | -39.1 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 5,550.00 $ | 4,532.61 $ | -18.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,560.00 $ | 2,765.22 $ | -39.4 % |
Buy Apartment Price | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,012.78 $ | 347.09 $ | -65.7 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 853.08 $ | 236.15 $ | -72.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 7,208.69 $ | 5,307.55 $ | -26.4 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.31 | 6.62 | +4.9 % |
| Last update: | 7 December 2025 | 7 December 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 193 | 235 |
Moving to San Francisco, CA? Explore:
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Cities near San Francisco, CA: | Cost of Living in Oakland, California | 10.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Piedmont, California | 12.31 miles |
| Cost of Living in Berkeley, California | 13.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in Alameda, California | 15.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Rafael, California | 18.32 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Mateo, California | 21.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Belmont, California | 24.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Walnut Creek, California | 24.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Redwood City, California | 26.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hayward, California | 26.70 miles |
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Addison, Illinois | 22.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Arlington Heights, Illinois | 27.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |