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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $2,507 in Anacortes, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $3,712 in Anacortes, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $4,918 in Anacortes, WA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 22% more expensive than Anacortes, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Anacortes, WA 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$16.54 $16.54

24.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$69.4 $69.4

44.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.44 $12.44

-4.66%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.10 $5.10

8.63%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.14 $2.14

42.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.82 $1.82

36.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$5.11 $5.11

35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.08 $5.08

60.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.11 $1.11

-6.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.23 $4.23

-7.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$8.28 $8.28

-34.54%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.59 $4.59

-2.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$11.40 $11.40

27.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$15.93 $15.93

-4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$18.82 $18.82

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.22 $5.22

3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.70 $1.70

-0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.87 $2.87

50.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.50 $4.50

0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.49 $1.49

71.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.11 $2.11

27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.63 $0.63

282.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.98 $1.98

32.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$11.22 $11.22

33.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.30 $15.30

-3.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.76 $1.76

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.56 $2.56

44.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.97 $1.97

29.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.62 $2.62

25.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.70 $1.70

-15.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$30.15 $30.15

-18.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.04 $1.04

4.81%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$37.0K $37.0K

-14.16%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.6K $27.6K

-4.15%

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

$183 $183

$167 $167

9.99%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$36.97 $36.97

67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$55.8 $55.8

16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$43.64 $43.64

74.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$15.65 $15.65

-5.75%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$2,121 $2,121

-3.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$31.7K $31.7K

21.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$49.96 $49.96

27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$24.59 $24.59

109.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$65.5 $65.5

48.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$136 $136

8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$1,597 $1,597

47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,339 $1,339

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$2,609 $2,609

80.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$2,246 $2,246

20.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

$4,012 $4,012

-0.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$3,917 $3,917

-32.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

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 20, 2026

Last update for Anacortes, WA: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $1,597 in Anacortes, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $69 in Anacortes, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $425 per month, with Anacortes, 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 Anacortes, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anacortes, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Anacortes, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,577 in Chicago, IL and $3,761 in Anacortes, WA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $1,597 in Anacortes, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,056 in Chicago, IL versus $2,121 in Anacortes, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Anacortes, WA – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $100 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Anacortes, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Anacortes, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,507 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Anacortes, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Anacortes, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Anacortes, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.