Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Champaign, IL and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Champaign, IL: $2,161 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Champaign, IL
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Champaign, IL Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Champaign, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,161

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Champaign, IL and in Seattle, WA

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

A single person spends $2,161 per month in Champaign, IL vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Champaign, IL $2,161
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $3,133 per month in Champaign, IL vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Champaign, IL $3,133
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $4,106 per month in Champaign, IL vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Champaign, IL $4,106
Seattle, WA $7,603

Champaign, IL is about 43% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Champaign, IL and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Champaign, IL by 60%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$25.32 $25.32

-39.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$101 $101

-40.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$14.85 $14.85

-31.92%

Cappuccino

$4.83 $4.83

$6.59 $6.59

-26.71%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$3.22 $3.22

-33.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.14 $3.14

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 $5.57

$8.18 $8.18

-31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 $5.35

$8.03 $8.03

-33.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.21 $1.21

-29.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$5.12 $5.12

-38.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$6.30 $6.30

-50.32%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$4.90 $4.90

-20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$19.10 $19.10

-36.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$18.50 $18.50

-67.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 $12.81

$23.03 $23.03

-44.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.81 $5.81

-40.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.95 $1.95

-29.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$5.29 $5.29

-41.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$6.48 $6.48

-29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.57 $3.57

-43.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.15 $3.15

-29.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.85 $2.85

-22.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.42 $2.42

-48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 $10.25

$12.75 $12.75

-19.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.99 $14.99

-1.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.17 $4.17

-48.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$5.99 $5.99

-31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$3.04 $3.04

-68.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.38 $20.38

$110 $110

-81.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.55 $2.55

-1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.64 $1.64

-3.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.42 $1.42

-18.31%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$35.7K $35.7K

-1.75%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

26.18%

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

$240 $240

$299 $299

-19.76%

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

$45.66 $45.66

$70.8 $70.8

-35.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$88.3 $88.3

-23.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 $25.34

$79.5 $79.5

-68.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 $11.85

$35.37 $35.37

-66.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 $11.09

$17.12 $17.12

-35.22%

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

$993 $993

$3,013 $3,013

-67.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K $19.9K

$31.6K $31.6K

-36.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.98 $48.98

$77.2 $77.2

-36.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$126 $126

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$163 $163

-24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$2,464 $2,464

-41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,956 $1,956

-48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$4,711 $4,711

-58.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 $1,691

$3,550 $3,550

-52.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,688 $1,688

$7,346 $7,346

-77.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 $1,709

$5,048 $5,048

-66.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,674 $3,674

$6,286 $6,286

-41.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.85

-0.44%

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

Last update for Champaign, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Champaign, IL

$1K 47%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 92.6% $940

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Champaign, IL

$353 16.3%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 29.7% $105

Groceries & Markets

Champaign, IL

$316 14.6%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 71.3% $225

Eating Out

Champaign, IL

$264 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 54.6% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Champaign, IL

$129 * 6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 46.6% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Champaign, IL

$48 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 139% $66

Getting Around

Champaign, IL

$35 1.6%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 283% $98

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,453 in Champaign, IL versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. 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 71% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Champaign, IL versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $542 – making Champaign, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Champaign, IL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

18:46 6:46 PM

16:46 4:46 PM

2 h behind Champaign, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

88,302

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Champaign, IL Seattle, WA 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Champaign, IL
Seattle, WA

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

Champaign, IL vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,161 in Champaign, IL, $3,800 in Seattle, WA – roughly 76% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,241 per month in Champaign, IL and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 71% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Champaign, IL and $101 in Seattle, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Champaign, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,161, than in Seattle, WA at $3,800. In Champaign, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,161 in Champaign, IL to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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