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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,009 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,795 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,593 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,154 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,177 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,513 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Bellingham, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chicago, IL and Bellingham, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 125%, Bellingham, WA by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.08 $20.08

1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$84.6 $84.6

20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.96 $12.96

-7.56%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$5.36 $5.36

6.34%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.52 $2.52

19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.08 $2.08

18.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.12 $7.12

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.08 $6.08

33.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.04 $1.04

-0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.79 $3.79

4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.33 $4.33

25.17%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$4.24 $4.24

6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$17.55 $17.55

-17.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.60 $15.60

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$15.08 $15.08

25.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.57 $5.57

-3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.63 $1.63

8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.29 $4.29

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$5.36 $5.36

-15.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.88 $2.88

-12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.17 $2.17

29.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.11 $2.11

18.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.45 $2.45

8.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.30 $12.30

20.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$15.10 $15.10

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.77 $1.77

38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$4.63 $4.63

-23.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.98 $0.98

161.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 $74.3

$30.22 $30.22

145.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 $3.19

$9.94 $9.94

-67.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.73 $1.73

-18.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 $25.49

$52.3 $52.3

-51.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.11 $1.11

-6.31%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$35.4K $35.4K

-8.95%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.47%

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

$184 $184

$179 $179

2.81%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$52.5 $52.5

20.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$74.3 $74.3

-10.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$68.3 $68.3

11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 $13.06

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$17.92 $17.92

-14.90%

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

$2,090 $2,090

$1,478 $1,478

41.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$23.9K $23.9K

64.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$52.0 $52.0

23.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$28.38 $28.38

79.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$97.4 $97.4

-0.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$152 $152

-2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,739 $1,739

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,466 $1,466

7.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,741 $4,741

$2,734 $2,734

73.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$2,510 $2,510

12.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,900 $3,900

$4,087 $4,087

-4.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,638 $2,638

$4,123 $4,123

-36.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$4,204 $4,204

13.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.61

-0.15%

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 Bellingham, WA: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,341 in Chicago, IL versus $1,739 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $102 in Chicago, IL versus $85.0 in Bellingham, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $439 – making Bellingham, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bellingham, WA: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Bellingham, WA, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,513 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,193 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,090 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,478 in Bellingham, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,009 in Chicago, IL and $2,795 in Bellingham, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bellingham, WA costs $2,795 versus $3,009 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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