Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chesapeake, VA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chesapeake, VA: $2,546 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Chesapeake, VA
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Chesapeake, VA Living Index
147

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

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Chesapeake, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,546

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,546 per month in Chesapeake, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chesapeake, VA $2,546
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,565 per month in Chesapeake, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chesapeake, VA $3,565
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,585 per month in Chesapeake, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chesapeake, VA $4,585
Chicago, IL $5,999

Chesapeake, VA is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chesapeake, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Chesapeake, VA by 87%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$20.71 $20.71

-2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 $89.6

$89.2 $89.2

0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$13.19 $13.19

-12.36%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$5.66 $5.66

4.42%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.64 $2.64

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.28 $2.28

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.87 $6.87

-12.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 $6.60

$8.84 $8.84

-25.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.25 $1.25

-30.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.72 $3.72

-2.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$5.39 $5.39

-42.12%

Eggs

$3.26 $3.26

$4.74 $4.74

-31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 $14.06

$13.84 $13.84

1.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 $8.03

$14.40 $14.40

-44.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.61 $17.61

$18.38 $18.38

-4.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.22 $5.22

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.98 $1.98

-46.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.06 $4.06

7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$4.97 $4.97

-10.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.67 $2.67

7.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.66 $2.66

6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.24 $2.24

-32.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.13 $3.13

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 $8.83

$13.82 $13.82

-36.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$14.88 $14.88

2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.51 $3.51

-21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.43 $2.43

-16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 $71.1

$73.5 $73.5

-3.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.18 $3.18

-6.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.39 $1.39

-11.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.85 $17.85

$25.03 $25.03

-28.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 $1.20

-18.33%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.73%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.13%

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

$187 $187

$194 $194

-3.99%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$69.5 $69.5

-16.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$61.6 $61.6

9.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 $40.05

$47.90 $47.90

-16.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 $9.07

$17.81 $17.81

-49.07%

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

$1,324 $1,324

$1,794 $1,794

-26.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K $18.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-41.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.10 $40.10

$67.0 $67.0

-40.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 $20.16

$52.1 $52.1

-61.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 $76.1

$102 $102

-25.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$144 $144

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 $2,047

$2,526 $2,526

-18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$1,578 $1,578

-18.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 $2,839

$4,738 $4,738

-40.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 $1,717

$2,693 $2,693

-36.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,844 $2,844

$4,190 $4,190

-32.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,015 $2,015

$2,768 $2,768

-27.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,368 $4,368

$4,931 $4,931

-11.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.81

-4.70%

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

Last update for Chesapeake, VA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chesapeake, VA

$1.3K 50.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.2% $297

Groceries & Markets

Chesapeake, VA

$368 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 21.6% $79

Eating Out

Chesapeake, VA

$329 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chesapeake, VA

$312 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4.2% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Chesapeake, VA

$109 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 49.8% $55

Getting Around

Chesapeake, VA

$88 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 5.7% $5

Sport & Entertainment

Chesapeake, VA

$58 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 43.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,047 in Chesapeake, VA versus $2,526 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $90 in Chesapeake, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in Chesapeake, VA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chesapeake, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chesapeake, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:16 1:16 PM

12:16 12:16 PM

1 h behind Chesapeake, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

249,422

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chesapeake, VA Chicago, IL 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chesapeake, VA
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

Chesapeake, VA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,820 per month in Chesapeake, VA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chesapeake, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,047 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,546 in Chesapeake, VA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Chesapeake, VA about 16% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,324 per month in Chesapeake, VA and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,546 in Chesapeake, VA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chesapeake, VA – 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 Chesapeake, VA. 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.