Cost of living compare
Chicago vs San Diego cost of living
Chicago vs San Diego cost of living, compared metric by metric: BEA regional price parity, HUD rent, USDA food, energy, and state and local taxes. Each row keeps its own source grain and vintage — there is no single blended “cost of living score,” because these measures are published at different geographic grains.
82% more income is needed for a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) to break even in San Diego than in Chicago
San Diego needs $176,144/yr vs $96,928/yr in Chicago
CEX 2024 · FMR FY2026 · USDA 2025 · RPP 2024 · TY2025 · NDCP 2022 (CPI-inflated to 2026-M04)
How much does a family of four need in Chicago vs San Diego?
A family of four needs about $96,928 a year in Chicago and $176,144 a year in San Diego to break even. The stacked bars show where each monthly budget goes; the table below gives the exact split and the difference.
| Component | Chicago | San Diego | Chicago − San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | $1,930 | $5,060 | −$3,130 |
| Childcare | $1,447 | $2,457 | −$1,010 |
| Taxes | $1,269 | $3,622 | −$2,353 |
| Food | $1,127 | $1,217 | −$90 |
| Transportation | $1,190 | $1,198 | −$8 |
| Everything else | $1,114 | $1,125 | −$10 |
| Total per month | $8,077 | $14,679 | −$6,601 |
Household Budget Benchmark, family of four (2 adults, 2 children), 3-bedroom. Housing uses HUD Fair Market Rent (ZIP SAFMR where available); other rows are federal series adjusted by state-grain BEA price parities. CEX 2024 · FMR FY2026 · USDA 2025 · RPP 2024 · TY2025 · NDCP 2022 (CPI-inflated to 2026-M04).
Which city has higher prices, Chicago or San Diego?
BEA Regional Price Parities put overall prices at 103.6 in Chicago and 111.9 in San Diego, where the U.S. average is 100. RPP is a regional index shown at each city’s BEA grain, not a city-precise price tag.
| RPP component | Chicago | San Diego | Chicago − San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.6 | 111.9 | −8.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 108.0 | −0.7 |
| Rents | 112.0 | 179.3 | −67.3 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 174.2 | −90.7 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 99.6 | +0.9 |
Chicago: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area · reference year 2024. San Diego: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area · reference year 2024.
How much is rent in Chicago vs San Diego?
HUD sets the 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent at $1,781 in Chicago and $3,001 in San Diego for HUD fiscal year 2026.
| Bedrooms | Chicago | San Diego | Chicago − San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-BR FMR | $1,581 | $2,459 | −$878 |
| 2-BR FMR | $1,781 | $3,001 | −$1,220 |
| 3-BR FMR | $2,294 | $3,998 | −$1,704 |
Chicago: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. San Diego: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. HUD FY2026 40th-percentile gross rents.
Are taxes higher in Chicago or San Diego?
Combined state and local sales tax is about 8.89% in Illinois and 8.85% in California. These are state and local figures — the two cities may sit in the same state.
| Measure | Chicago (IL) | San Diego (CA) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined sales tax rate | 8.89% | 8.85% | +0 pts |
| Top state income tax rate | 4.95% | 12.3% | −7.4 pts |
| State & local taxes per capita | $8,199 | $10,349 | −$2,149 |
Sales & income tax rates: state statutes / DOR schedules, TY2025. Per-capita burden: Census Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances, FY2022. State grain.
Are utilities and gas cheaper in Chicago or San Diego?
Residential electricity runs about 17.8¢/kWh in Illinois and 33.2¢/kWh in California. Energy prices are state or PADD-region grain, not city-specific.
| Measure | Chicago (IL) | San Diego (CA) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential electricity | 17.8¢/kWh | 33.2¢/kWh | −15.4 |
| Residential natural gas | 11.4 $/Mcf | 22.45 $/Mcf | −11.05 |
| Retail gasoline | 4.49 $/gal | 5.75 $/gal | −1.26 |
Electricity & natural gas: EIA state-grain residential prices. Gasoline: EIA PADD 2 (Midwest) vs PADD 5 (West Coast) (PADD-region grain).
What does groceries cost in Chicago vs San Diego?
A USDA Low-Cost food plan for a family of four is about $1,088 a month nationally; the plan value is a national figure, while local price differences show up through the RPP-adjusted budget above.
| USDA plan (family of 4, monthly) | Chicago | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Thrifty plan | $996 | $996 |
| Low-cost plan | $1,088 | $1,088 |
| Moderate plan | $1,341 | $1,341 |
USDA Cost of Food Plans, July 2025. National grain — identical for every city; the family budget applies each state’s RPP for local context.
Go deeper on Chicago and San Diego
Sources
Every figure above traces to an official federal or state source, shown with its vintage and geographic grain. Cost-of-living measures are not combined into one composite score. See the cost-of-living methodology.