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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,066 in Chicago, IL versus $2,026 in Aberdeen, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,583 in Chicago, IL versus $3,034 in Aberdeen, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,100 in Chicago, IL versus $4,042 in Aberdeen, WA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 51% more expensive than Aberdeen, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Aberdeen, WA 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 $20.53

$21.04 $21.04

-2.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$12.20 $12.20

-1.39%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$4.74 $4.74

18.57%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.77 $1.77

73.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.36 $2.36

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.11 $6.11

14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.86 $4.86

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.13 $1.13

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.65 $2.65

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.77 $2.77

99.28%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.10 $5.10

-10.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$9.91 $9.91

47.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$6.59 $6.59

126.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$8.97 $8.97

109.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$4.99 $4.99

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.90 $1.90

-7.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.59 $5.59

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.11 $6.11

-28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.76 $2.76

-7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.43 $3.43

-18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.03 $3.03

-18.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.79 $1.79

48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 $14.74

$11.48 $11.48

28.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$10.98 $10.98

38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.75 $1.75

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.62 $2.62

40.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.02 $1.02

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 $74.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$5.43 $5.43

-39.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.73 $0.73

95.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 $24.86

$28.71 $28.71

-13.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$30.1K $30.1K

4.12%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.05%

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

$187 $187

$157 $157

19.42%

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

$62.4 $62.4

$53.0 $53.0

17.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$68.9 $68.9

-2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$31.62 $31.62

137.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 $13.17

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$4.88 $4.88

211.68%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$1,039 $1,039

96.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K $39.3K

$30.0K $30.0K

30.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$45.53 $45.53

40.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$29.15 $29.15

73.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 $95.4

$64.2 $64.2

48.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$112 $112

28.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 $2,355

$1,097 $1,097

114.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$884 $884

82.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,728 $4,728

$1,728 $1,728

173.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 $2,754

$1,373 $1,373

100.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,803 $3,803

$3,012 $3,012

26.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,580 $2,580

$2,941 $2,941

-12.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,378 $4,378

8.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 14, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen, WA: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,355 in Chicago, IL and $1,097 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Chicago, IL vs $101 in Aberdeen, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $333 per month, with Aberdeen, WA cheaper across the board.

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

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

Aberdeen, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chicago, IL pays 8% more on average, 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: $2,355 in Chicago, IL versus $1,097 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,039 in Chicago, IL versus $1,039 in Aberdeen, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aberdeen, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $102 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,026 in Aberdeen, WA versus $3,066 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Aberdeen, WA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Aberdeen, WA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Aberdeen, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Aberdeen, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.