Comparación del coste de vida entre Chicago, IL y Arlington, WA Comparación del coste de vida entre Chicago, IL y Arlington, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Chicago, IL versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,593 in Chicago, IL versus $3,537 in Arlington, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,177 in Chicago, IL versus $4,705 in Arlington, WA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 27% more expensive than Arlington, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 125% above, Arlington, WA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$16.34 $16.34

24.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$72.4 $72.4

40.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.42 $12.42

-3.54%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$5.22 $5.22

9.20%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.94 $2.94

2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.05 $2.05

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.11 $5.11

34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$11.97 $11.97

-32.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.07 $1.07

-3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.10 $4.10

-3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.83 $4.83

12.22%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$4.93 $4.93

-8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$9.68 $9.68

50.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$7.89 $7.89

88.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$15.23 $15.23

24.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.84 $2.84

89.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.69 $1.69

4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.09 $5.09

-14.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.88 $4.88

-7.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.38 $3.38

-25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.89 $2.89

-2.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.01 $2.01

24.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.98 $2.98

-10.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.09 $11.09

34.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$14.91 $14.91

2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.70 $1.70

44.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$6.37 $6.37

-44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.04 $2.04

25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 $74.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.62 $2.62

21.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.74 $0.74

90.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 $25.49

$29.88 $29.88

-14.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.06 $1.06

-1.89%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$36.7K $36.7K

-12.21%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.0K $24.0K

11.55%

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

$184 $184

$214 $214

-14.22%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$49.86 $49.86

26.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$44.68 $44.68

48.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$33.63 $33.63

125.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 $13.06

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$14.77 $14.77

3.25%

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

$2,090 $2,090

$2,078 $2,078

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

26.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$38.28 $38.28

67.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$39.43 $39.43

29.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$72.9 $72.9

33.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$102 $102

46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,291 $1,291

81.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,218 $1,218

29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,741 $4,741

$2,456 $2,456

93.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$2,030 $2,030

38.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,900 $3,900

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,638 $2,638

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$5,762 $5,762

-17.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

4.85

36.08%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Chicago, IL: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Arlington, WA: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,341 in Chicago, IL and $1,291 in Arlington, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $102 in Chicago, IL vs $72.0 in Arlington, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $385 per month, with Arlington, WA cheaper across the board.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.

Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales

Chicago, IL vs Arlington, WA: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes

Chicago, IL and Arlington, WA differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($3,009 vs $2,370 including rent). Arlington, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Arlington, WA earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,341 in Chicago, IL versus $1,291 in Arlington, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,009 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,370 in Arlington, WA versus $3,009 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arlington, WA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Arlington, WA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Arlington, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.