Chicago - IL vs San Diego - CA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

San Diego - CA is roughly 161% more expensive than Chicago - IL in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in San Diego - CA (25 days vs 14), suggesting more buyer leverage there.

Chicago vs San Diego: what the numbers say

At today's 7.24% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $1,939 a month in principal and interest in Chicago and $5,054 in San Diego, a gap of $3,115 a month.

Typical rent runs $2,163 in Chicago and $2,967 in San Diego, so the mortgage payment alone is 0.9 times rent in Chicago and 1.7 times rent in San Diego, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 13.7 years of rent in Chicago and 26.0 in San Diego; the lower ratio in Chicago means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved +8.3% in Chicago and -1.8% in San Diego; over just the last three months the change was +1.5% in Chicago and +0.3% in San Diego.

Homes sell for 100.5% of list price in Chicago and 99.3% in San Diego, after 14 and 25 days on the market, with price cuts on 28% and 29% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in San Diego.

The number of homes for sale is up 1% on a year ago in Chicago and down 6% on a year ago in San Diego.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-29), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.