Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Bothell, WA and in Chicago, IL: $3,183 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

154

Cost of Living Index in Bothell, WA
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Bothell, WA Living Index
147

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

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Bothell, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,183

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,183 in Bothell, WA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Bothell, WA $3,183
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,942 in Bothell, WA versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Bothell, WA $4,942
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,700 in Bothell, WA versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Bothell, WA $6,700
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Bothell, WA is roughly 5% more expensive than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bothell, WA 134% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.19 $25.19

$20.71 $20.71

21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 $92.6

$89.2 $89.2

3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 $14.97

$13.19 $13.19

13.50%

Cappuccino

$6.58 $6.58

$5.66 $5.66

16.25%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.64 $2.64

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.28 $2.28

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 $7.99

$6.87 $6.87

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$8.84 $8.84

-7.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.25 $1.25

-7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.72 $3.72

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$5.39 $5.39

6.31%

Eggs

$5.65 $5.65

$4.74 $4.74

19.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 $15.99

$13.84 $13.84

15.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$14.40 $14.40

10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.83 $22.83

$18.38 $18.38

24.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.22 $5.22

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.98 $1.98

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.06 $4.06

30.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.97 $4.97

9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.67 $2.67

32.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.66 $2.66

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.24 $2.24

0.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.13 $3.13

-8.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 $12.19

$13.82 $13.82

-11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$14.88 $14.88

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.54 $2.54

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.51 $3.51

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.43 $2.43

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$73.5 $73.5

37.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.18 $3.18

-17.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.39 $1.39

23.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.52 $30.52

$25.03 $25.03

21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.20 $1.20

15.83%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.88%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.89%

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

$233 $233

$194 $194

20.03%

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

$48.56 $48.56

$69.5 $69.5

-30.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$61.6 $61.6

27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.2 $58.2

$47.90 $47.90

21.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 $11.99

$27.34 $27.34

-56.14%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$17.81 $17.81

-16.34%

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

$2,068 $2,068

$1,794 $1,794

15.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-3.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$67.0 $67.0

-8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 $45.12

$52.1 $52.1

-13.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$102 $102

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$144 $144

13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 $1,923

$2,526 $2,526

-23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 $1,541

$1,578 $1,578

-2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,463 $3,463

$4,738 $4,738

-26.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,052 $3,052

$2,693 $2,693

13.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,922 $5,922

$4,190 $4,190

41.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,920 $4,920

$2,768 $2,768

77.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,220 $6,220

$4,931 $4,931

26.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.81

-1.91%

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

Last update for Bothell, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bothell, WA

$1.5K 48.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 2.4% $37

Groceries & Markets

Bothell, WA

$492 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.1% $45

Eating Out

Bothell, WA

$404 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14.7% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bothell, WA

$361 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.7% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Bothell, WA

$173 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 5.2% $9.1

Getting Around

Bothell, WA

$124 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 24.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Bothell, WA

$88 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 5.1% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,923 in Bothell, WA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bothell, WA pays 26% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $93 in Bothell, WA vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $492 vs $447 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bothell, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:19 7:19 AM

09:19 9:19 AM

2 h ahead of Bothell, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

48,161

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

From you

Bothell, WA
Chicago, IL

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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

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

Bothell, WA and Chicago, IL differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($3,183 vs $3,037 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Bothell, WA, 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: $1,923 in Bothell, WA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Bothell, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $89 versus $93 in Bothell, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL 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.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Bothell, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.