Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chelan, WA: $2,685 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

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

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

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Chelan, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,685

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,685 per month in Chelan, WA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chelan, WA $2,685
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,965 per month in Chelan, WA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chelan, WA $3,965
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,245 per month in Chelan, WA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chelan, WA $5,245
Chicago, IL $6,115

Chelan, WA is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chelan, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Chelan, WA by 98%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 $25.39

$20.65 $20.65

22.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.2 $90.2

12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.72 $14.72

$12.94 $12.94

13.76%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.60 $5.60

16.43%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.64 $2.64

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.27 $2.27

32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 $7.99

$6.98 $6.98

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$8.83 $8.83

-11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 $1.27

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.80 $3.80

-11.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.30 $5.30

-16.42%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$4.76 $4.76

3.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$13.96 $13.96

-21.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$14.61 $14.61

-55.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 $11.16

$18.77 $18.77

-40.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.19 $5.19

-17.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.98 $1.98

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.93 $3.93

10.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.96 $4.96

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.76 $2.76

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.76 $2.76

-18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.22 $2.22

-11.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.98 $2.98

-15.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$14.02 $14.02

-34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$15.28 $15.28

-34.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.58 $2.58

65.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.50 $3.50

45.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.47 $2.47

-16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$74.8 $74.8

-19.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.34 $3.34

-20.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.43 $1.43

14.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.33 $30.33

$24.32 $24.32

24.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.26 $1.26

8.73%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-1.48%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.20%

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

$254 $254

$193 $193

31.83%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$68.3 $68.3

3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 $50.4

$61.3 $61.3

-17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.44 $46.44

$54.1 $54.1

-14.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 $9.92

$27.92 $27.92

-64.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$17.74 $17.74

-31.12%

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

$3,059 $3,059

$1,652 $1,652

85.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 $40.62

$66.1 $66.1

-38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.47 $25.47

$51.2 $51.2

-50.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 $60.0

$100 $100

-40.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 $99.6

$141 $141

-29.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$2,446 $2,446

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$1,678 $1,678

-22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$4,717 $4,717

-47.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 $2,141

$2,795 $2,795

-23.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,972 $2,972

$4,105 $4,105

-27.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 $2,492

$2,650 $2,650

-5.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,061 $4,061

$4,866 $4,866

-16.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

-11.89%

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

Last update for Chelan, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chelan, WA

$1.3K 48.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 29.1% $379

Eating Out

Chelan, WA

$406 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 15.4% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chelan, WA

$375 14%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 14.1% $53

Groceries & Markets

Chelan, WA

$353 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 27.2% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Chelan, WA

$102 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 58.7% $60

Getting Around

Chelan, WA

$79 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 19.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chelan, WA

$71 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 26.4% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in Chelan, 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 20% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Chelan, WA versus $90 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $353 in Chelan, WA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chelan, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chelan, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:54 2:54 PM

16:54 4:54 PM

2 h ahead of Chelan, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,200

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chelan, WA Chicago, IL 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chelan, 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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Chelan, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,028 per month in Chelan, 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 Chelan, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Chelan, WA and $90 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,685 in Chelan, WA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That’s a gap of about 17%.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,685 in Chelan, WA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,685 in Chelan, WA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chelan, 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.