Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,168 in Ashburn, VA versus $3,184 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,303 in Ashburn, VA versus $4,725 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,438 in Ashburn, VA versus $6,266 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Ashburn, VA costs roughly 1% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashburn, VA 130% above, Chicago, IL 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.01 $19.01

$20.26 $20.26

-6.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$88.8 $88.8

1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$13.16 $13.16

0.61%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.77 $5.77

3.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.63 $2.63

6.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.34 $2.34

13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.06 $7.06

-31.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.71 $8.71

$9.18 $9.18

-5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.30 $1.30

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.05 $4.05

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$5.69 $5.69

-51.67%

Eggs

$5.36 $5.36

$4.85 $4.85

10.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.04 $17.04

$15.08 $15.08

13.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.46 $15.46

$14.87 $14.87

3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.20 $19.20

$19.28 $19.28

-0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.68 $5.68

-3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.93 $1.93

15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$4.10 $4.10

56.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$5.11 $5.11

5.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.92 $2.92

6.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.77 $2.77

37.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.30 $2.30

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.04 $3.04

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$15.93 $15.93

-36.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.06 $15.06

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.53 $2.53

-33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 $4.77

$3.48 $3.48

37.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.53 $2.53

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 $73.0

$74.8 $74.8

-2.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.28 $3.28

-10.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.36 $1.36

3.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.22 $22.22

$22.55 $22.55

-1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.22 $1.22

-23.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K $35.8K

$36.1K $36.1K

-0.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.0K $26.0K

-2.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$97.2 $97.2

$188 $188

-48.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.54 $49.54

$69.0 $69.0

-28.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$63.6 $63.6

15.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 $61.1

$63.4 $63.4

-3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 $11.78

$27.11 $27.11

-56.55%

Cinema Ticket

$16.95 $16.95

$17.90 $17.90

-5.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$1,526 $1,526

5.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

1.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 $46.39

$62.1 $62.1

-25.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 $37.04

$56.4 $56.4

-34.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 $98.0

$101 $101

-2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$156 $156

-32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 $2,022

$2,342 $2,342

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,698 $1,698

4.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,186 $4,186

$4,576 $4,576

-8.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,234 $2,234

$2,806 $2,806

-20.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,022 $3,022

$4,130 $4,130

-26.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,086 $3,086

$2,740 $2,740

12.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,719 $7,719

$4,891 $4,891

57.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.38

-0.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ashburn, VA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,022 in Ashburn, VA and $2,342 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $89.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $465 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ashburn, VA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashburn, VA and Chicago, IL differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($3,168 vs $3,184 including rent). Ashburn, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Ashburn, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,022 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,342 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,604 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,526 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ashburn, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ashburn, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.