Cost of living comparison
Chicago is 3.5 times more expensive than Cape Town.
- Restaurants
-
pay 2.8 times more in Chicago
- Groceries
-
pay 2.4 times more in Chicago
- Transportation
-
pay 42.5% more in Chicago
- Housing
-
pay 2.3 times more in Chicago
- Childcare
-
pay 10.9 times more in Chicago
- Entertainment and Sports
-
pay 3.0 times more in Chicago
- Clothing
-
pay 42.7% more in Chicago
The cost of childcare, entertainment and sports, restaurants, groceries, housing, and clothing in Chicago are more expensive than in Cape Town. Notably, childcare, entertainment and sports, and restaurants are significantly more expensive in Chicago.
If you lived in Chicago instead of Cape Town, you would:
pay 2.8 times more for restaurants
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$8.52
ZAR159.23
|
$25.00
|
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$5.11
ZAR95.54
|
$11.34
|
|
| Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$0.99
ZAR18.56
|
$3.02
|
|
| Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$0.78
ZAR14.59
|
$2.44
|
|
pay 2.4 times more for groceries
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$1.07
ZAR20.04
|
$4.19
|
|
| Local cheese (8 oz) |
$4.13
ZAR77.21
|
$7.87
|
|
| Milk (1 gallon) |
$4.25
ZAR79.49
|
$3.94
|
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$2.53
ZAR47.34
|
$3.75
|
|
| Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$2.30
ZAR42.92
|
$6.63
|
|
| Apples (1 lb) |
$0.73
ZAR13.66
|
$2.44
|
|
| Bananas (1 lb) |
$0.70
ZAR13.00
|
$0.90
|
|
| Oranges (1 lb) |
$0.69
ZAR12.85
|
$2.19
|
|
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$0.70
ZAR13.06
|
$2.27
|
|
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.55
ZAR10.26
|
$1.16
|
|
| Onions (1 lb) |
$0.59
ZAR11.10
|
$1.37
|
|
pay 42.5% more for transportation
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$5.09
ZAR95.13
|
$4.16
|
|
| Monthly public transit pass |
$42.60
ZAR796.13
|
$75.00
|
|
| New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$19,879.98
ZAR371,526.93
|
$31,965.00
|
|
| Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$9.54
ZAR178.33
|
$14.43
|
|
pay 2.3 times more for housing
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$43.29
ZAR808.98
|
$58.52
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$784.43
ZAR14,659.76
|
$2,360.96
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$505.72
ZAR9,451.19
|
$1,512.92
|
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$71.33
ZAR1,332.97
|
$126.63
|
|
pay 10.9 times more for childcare
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$207.06
ZAR3,869.67
|
$2,475.00
|
|
| Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$4,312.73
ZAR80,598.52
|
$42,300.00
|
|
pay 3.0 times more for entertainment and sports
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$2.56
ZAR47.77
|
$7.50
|
|
| Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$2.12
ZAR39.71
|
$5.30
|
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$2.95
ZAR55.20
|
$17.00
|
|
| Monthly membership at local gym |
$39.65
ZAR741.09
|
$72.00
|
|
| Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$6.82
ZAR127.38
|
$15.00
|
|
pay 42.7% more for clothing
|
Cape Town
|
Chicago
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$53.53
ZAR1,000.38
|
$64.98
|
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$30.86
ZAR576.68
|
$51.67
|
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$104.97
ZAR1,961.66
|
$97.00
|
|
| Men's business shoes (leather) |
$77.06
ZAR1,440.21
|
$146.00
|
|
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