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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $3,366 in Ashburn, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $4,487 in Ashburn, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,608 in Ashburn, VA.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 9% less than in Ashburn, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Ashburn, VA 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$20.13 $20.13

3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$81.1 $81.1

21.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$13.44 $13.44

-11.76%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.96 $5.96

-6.04%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.84 $2.84

8.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.56 $2.56

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.60 $6.60

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.78 $7.78

3.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.12 $1.12

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.47 $3.47

18.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$6.23 $6.23

-9.95%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$5.02 $5.02

-10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$19.46 $19.46

-26.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$12.26 $12.26

21.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$22.04 $22.04

-12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.62 $5.62

-8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.76 $1.76

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$7.03 $7.03

-37.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$6.67 $6.67

-31.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.61 $3.61

-29.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.82 $2.82

-2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.27 $2.27

6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.48 $2.48

5.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$8.10 $8.10

84.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$18.02 $18.02

-17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.76 $1.76

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.84 $3.84

-2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.21 $2.21

12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$71.3 $71.3

5.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.56 $4.56

-30.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.40 $1.40

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$29.32 $29.32

-14.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.89 $0.89

19.10%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

18.98%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

4.42%

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

$185 $185

$211 $211

-12.37%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$63.1 $63.1

-2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$67.1 $67.1

-0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$61.7 $61.7

21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

$12.16 $12.16

7.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$14.74 $14.74

-0.20%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,697 $1,697

19.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$24.3K $24.3K

61.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$48.09 $48.09

34.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$49.14 $49.14

6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$97.7 $97.7

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$144 $144

2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,900 $1,900

21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,797 $1,797

-11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$4,169 $4,169

10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,248 $2,248

23.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$3,002 $3,002

30.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$3,095 $3,095

-15.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$7,437 $7,437

-29.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.57

0.46%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ashburn, VA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,900 in Ashburn, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 43% 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: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $81.0 in Ashburn, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $485, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ashburn, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Ashburn, VA differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,077 vs $3,366 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ashburn, VA earns 43% 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,900 in Ashburn, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,697 in Ashburn, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.