Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, WA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Auburn, WA: $2,589 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, WA
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Auburn, WA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,589

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auburn, WA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auburn, WA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,589 per month in Auburn, WA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Auburn, WA $2,589
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,092 per month in Auburn, WA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Auburn, WA $4,092
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,595 per month in Auburn, WA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Auburn, WA $5,595
Chicago, IL $6,115

Auburn, WA is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Auburn, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Auburn, WA by 91%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$20.65 $20.65

-4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$90.2 $90.2

6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 $11.71

$12.94 $12.94

-9.51%

Cappuccino

$4.46 $4.46

$5.60 $5.60

-20.36%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$2.64 $2.64

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.27 $2.27

-11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$6.98 $6.98

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$8.83 $8.83

-18.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 $1.27

-29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.80 $3.80

-32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$5.30 $5.30

-29.25%

Eggs

$3.04 $3.04

$4.76 $4.76

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$13.96 $13.96

-38.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$14.61 $14.61

-5.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.56 $18.56

$18.77 $18.77

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$5.19 $5.19

-8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.98 $1.98

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.93 $3.93

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.96 $4.96

-16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.76 $2.76

12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.76 $2.76

18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.22 $2.22

-17.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.98 $2.98

-29.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$14.02 $14.02

-23.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.28 $15.28

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.58 $2.58

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.50 $3.50

-16.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.34 $3.34

5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.43 $1.43

28.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$24.32 $24.32

106.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.26 $1.26

3.17%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-26.86%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

-5.96%

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

$216 $216

$193 $193

12.34%

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

$40.51 $40.51

$68.3 $68.3

-40.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$61.3 $61.3

29.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 $34.39

$54.1 $54.1

-36.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$17.74 $17.74

-16.74%

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

$1,077 $1,077

$1,652 $1,652

-34.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-46.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$66.1 $66.1

-15.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.82 $46.82

$51.2 $51.2

-8.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$100 $100

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 $81.3

$141 $141

-42.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 $1,470

$2,446 $2,446

-39.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,678 $1,678

-17.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$4,717 $4,717

-51.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 $2,844

$2,795 $2,795

1.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,864 $6,864

$4,866 $4,866

41.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Auburn, WA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Auburn, WA

$1.4K 53.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 21.4% $296

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, WA

$375 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 19.8% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, WA

$336 13%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 4.2% $14

Eating Out

Auburn, WA

$301 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 13.9% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, WA

$118 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 36.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, WA

$64 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 40.2% $26

Getting Around

Auburn, WA

$13 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 646% $82

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,470 in Auburn, WA versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Auburn, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Auburn, WA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Auburn, WA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Auburn, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:59 2:59 PM

16:59 4:59 PM

2 h ahead of Auburn, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Auburn, WA Chicago, IL 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Auburn, WA
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Auburn, WA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Auburn, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,884 per month in Auburn, WA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Auburn, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,589 in Auburn, WA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 21%.

Kindergarten costs $1,077 per month in Auburn, WA and $1,652 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Auburn, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,589, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Auburn, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Auburn, WA costs $2,589 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Auburn, WA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.