Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,582 in Arlington, VA, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
173

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, VA
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Arlington, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Arlington, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,582

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Arlington, VA

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,582 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Arlington, VA $3,582

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,415 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Arlington, VA $5,415

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,249 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Arlington, VA $7,249

Chicago, IL is about 12% cheaper than Arlington, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Arlington, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Arlington, VA by 164%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$23.99 $23.99

-13.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$101 $101

-10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.93 $10.93

18.39%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.78 $5.78

-3.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.98 $2.98

-11.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.43 $2.43

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$8.14 $8.14

-14.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.81 $8.81

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.25 $1.25

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.39 $4.39

-13.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.21 $5.21

1.73%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.07 $5.07

-6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$21.53 $21.53

-35.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$15.69 $15.69

-6.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.56 $22.56

-16.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.57 $5.57

-6.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.88 $1.88

5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.56 $4.56

-13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.75 $5.75

-13.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.26 $3.26

-15.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.75 $3.75

-26.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.26 $2.26

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.44 $2.44

22.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.73 $9.73

44.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$17.20 $17.20

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.83 $2.83

-8.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.83 $2.83

23.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.74 $2.74

-9.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$121 $121

-38.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.93 $3.93

-15.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.21 $1.21

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.92 $24.92

-2.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.05 $1.05

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

20.03%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.54%

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

$193 $193

$162 $162

19.16%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$51.5 $51.5

32.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$61.7 $61.7

-0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$71.4 $71.4

-24.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$19.14 $19.14

45.87%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.58 $16.58

7.00%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,572 $1,572

5.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$35.5K $35.5K

-12.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$55.3 $55.3

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$62.2 $62.2

-17.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$104 $104

-3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$163 $163

-13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,452 $2,452

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,010 $2,010

-16.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$4,832 $4,832

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,600 $3,600

-22.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$5,750 $5,750

-28.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$4,742 $4,742

-44.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$6,973 $6,973

-30.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.79

0.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Arlington, VA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Arlington, VA

$2K 56.1% 19.8% $332

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Arlington, VA

$504 14.1% 12.2% $55

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Arlington, VA

$374 10.4% 8.9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Arlington, VA

$275 7.7% 14.7% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Arlington, VA

$173 4.8% 7.1% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Arlington, VA

$142 4% 49% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Arlington, VA

$105 2.9% 16.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,452 in Arlington, VA. 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 43% higher in Arlington, VA, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Arlington, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $504 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Arlington, VA

🕒 Local time

08:18 8:18 AM

09:18 9:18 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

365,438

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Arlington, VA 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Arlington, VA

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

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

Arlington, VA costs about 14% more than Chicago, IL, 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 $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,373 in Arlington, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Arlington, VA, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Arlington, VA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,582 in Arlington, VA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,139 versus $3,582 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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