Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellingham, WA: $2,969 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

143

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

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Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,969

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bellingham, 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 Bellingham, WA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,969 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $2,969
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,414 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $4,414
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,859 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $5,859
Chicago, IL $6,019

Bellingham, WA is about 3% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bellingham, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 120%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.14 $23.14

$20.39 $20.39

13.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$88.6 $88.6

12.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.85 $12.85

2.65%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$5.78 $5.78

0.35%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.74 $2.74

13.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.26 $2.26

-4.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$6.88 $6.88

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$9.24 $9.24

-22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.55 $3.55

1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$5.38 $5.38

-7.25%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.55 $4.55

11.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.85 $20.85

$13.65 $13.65

52.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.01 $18.01

$14.07 $14.07

28.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$18.06 $18.06

33.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$5.16 $5.16

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.98 $1.98

-1.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.88 $3.88

39.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.83 $4.83

34.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.81 $2.81

23.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.67 $2.67

10.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.07 $2.07

27.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.03 $3.03

-18.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.27 $12.27

$13.90 $13.90

-11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.05 $15.05

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.63 $2.63

-35.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 $5.56

$3.45 $3.45

61.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.43 $2.43

-19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 $29.66

$75.3 $75.3

-60.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.17 $3.17

-15.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.70 $1.70

1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.05 $30.05

$24.90 $24.90

20.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.28 $1.28

17.19%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.44%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.99%

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

$218 $218

$192 $192

13.26%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$69.6 $69.6

-14.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.4 $80.4

$62.2 $62.2

29.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 $61.8

$47.79 $47.79

29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 $15.06

$27.10 $27.10

-44.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 $17.89

$17.83 $17.83

0.34%

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

$1,148 $1,148

$1,815 $1,815

-36.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K $12.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-70.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 $78.6

$66.2 $66.2

18.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.01 $29.01

$51.4 $51.4

-43.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$103 $103

13.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$143 $143

-30.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$2,531 $2,531

-34.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$1,621 $1,621

-10.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 $2,627

$4,828 $4,828

-45.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,385 $2,385

$2,734 $2,734

-12.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,446 $4,446

$4,163 $4,163

6.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,853 $3,853

$2,723 $2,723

41.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,304 $4,304

$4,924 $4,924

-12.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.78

-3.10%

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

Last update for Bellingham, WA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellingham, WA

$1.4K 48.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 12.2% $177

Groceries & Markets

Bellingham, WA

$510 17.2%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 14% $71

Eating Out

Bellingham, WA

$366 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 5.9% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellingham, WA

$357 12%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 9.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Bellingham, WA

$146 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 12.2% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Bellingham, WA

$98 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 14.5% $14

Getting Around

Bellingham, WA

$49 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 98.3% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,663 in Bellingham, WA versus $2,531 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 14% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Bellingham, WA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $510 vs $439 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:27 9:27 PM

23:27 11:27 PM

2 h ahead of Bellingham, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,482

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Bellingham, WA Chicago, IL 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Bellingham, 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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 3% more than Bellingham, 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 $4,454 per month in Bellingham, WA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bellingham, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,663 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,148 per month in Bellingham, WA and $1,815 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,969 in Bellingham, WA and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bellingham, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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