Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellingham, WA: $2,969 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,969

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bellingham, WA

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 Bellingham, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,969 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Bellingham, WA $2,969

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,414 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Bellingham, WA $4,414

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,859 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Bellingham, WA $5,859

Chicago, IL costs about 3% more than Bellingham, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Bellingham, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Bellingham, WA by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$23.14 $23.14

-11.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$99.7 $99.7

-11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$13.19 $13.19

-2.58%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.80 $5.80

-0.34%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.12 $3.12

-12.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.15 $2.15

5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.15 $7.15

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.20 $7.20

28.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.17 $1.17

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.62 $3.62

-1.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.99 $4.99

7.82%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.06 $5.06

-10.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$20.85 $20.85

-34.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$18.01 $18.01

-21.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$24.03 $24.03

-24.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.17 $5.17

-0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.96 $1.96

1.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.41 $5.41

-28.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.48 $6.48

-25.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.48 $3.48

-19.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.95 $2.95

-9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.64 $2.64

-21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.48 $2.48

22.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$12.27 $12.27

13.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.87 $14.87

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.69 $1.69

55.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.56 $5.56

-37.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$29.66 $29.66

153.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.67 $2.67

18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.72 $1.72

-1.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$30.05 $30.05

-17.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.50 $1.50

-14.67%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

28.93%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

1.00%

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

$192 $192

$218 $218

-11.71%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$59.2 $59.2

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$80.4 $80.4

-22.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$61.8 $61.8

-22.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$15.06 $15.06

79.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$17.89 $17.89

-0.34%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,148 $1,148

58.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$12.1K $12.1K

235.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$78.6 $78.6

-15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$29.01 $29.01

77.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$118 $118

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$98.6 $98.6

44.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,663 $1,663

52.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,444 $1,444

12.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,627 $2,627

83.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,385 $2,385

14.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$4,446 $4,446

-6.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$3,853 $3,853

-29.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,304 $4,304

14.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.57

3.20%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Bellingham, WA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Bellingham, WA

$1.4K 48.6% 10.9% $177

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Bellingham, WA

$510 17.2% 16.2% $71

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Bellingham, WA

$366 12.3% 6.3% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Bellingham, WA

$357 12% 10.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Bellingham, WA

$146 4.9% 10.9% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Bellingham, WA

$49 1.6% 49.6% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Bellingham, WA

$98 3.3% 16.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,663 in Bellingham, WA. 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 14% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in Bellingham, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $510 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🕒 Local time

06:09 6:09 AM

04:09 4:09 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

91,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bellingham, WA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bellingham, WA

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 Bellingham, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 3% more than Bellingham, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,454 in Bellingham, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bellingham, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,663 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,148 in Bellingham, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,969 in Bellingham, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bellingham, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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