Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bonney Lake, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bonney Lake, WA: $2,737 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Bonney Lake, WA
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Bonney Lake, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bonney Lake, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,737

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bonney Lake, 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 Bonney Lake, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,737 in Bonney Lake, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bonney Lake, WA $2,737

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,960 in Bonney Lake, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bonney Lake, WA $3,960

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,183 in Bonney Lake, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bonney Lake, WA $5,183

Chicago, IL costs about 11% more than Bonney Lake, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Bonney Lake, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bonney Lake, WA by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.89 $24.89

-16.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$65.2 $65.2

36.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.12 $12.12

8.83%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.67 $5.67

-0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.62 $1.62

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.15 $7.15

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.19 $7.19

22.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.12 $1.12

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.25 $4.25

-12.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.16 $3.16

70.57%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.22 $5.22

-9.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.48 $16.48

-16.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.78 $10.78

33.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.58 $16.58

10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.90 $4.90

6.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.93 $3.93

3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.59 $4.59

8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.59 $2.59

3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.49 $2.49

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.82 $1.82

23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.62 $2.62

19.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.28 $12.28

12.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.23 $15.23

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.74 $1.74

45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.42 $2.42

45.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.77 $1.77

37.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$68.8 $68.8

6.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.63 $2.63

20.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.79 $1.79

-22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.62 $29.62

-15.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.32 $1.32

-9.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

23.40%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.97%

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

$194 $194

$232 $232

-16.27%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$92.3 $92.3

-24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$88.4 $88.4

-30.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$26.77 $26.77

78.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.19 $14.19

25.51%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,464 $1,464

22.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.9 $58.9

13.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.65 $44.65

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.9 $84.9

19.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$99.8 $99.8

44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,534 $1,534

64.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,272 $1,272

24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,530 $2,530

87.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,079 $2,079

29.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,833 $2,833

47.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,630 $2,630

5.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bonney Lake, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bonney Lake, WA

$1.3K 46.5% 19.4% $306

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bonney Lake, WA

$408 14.9% 8.7% $39

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bonney Lake, WA

$371 13.6% 7.7% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bonney Lake, WA

$413 15.1% 26.8% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bonney Lake, WA

$130 4.7% 20.9% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bonney Lake, WA

$88 3.2% 6.3% $5.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bonney Lake, WA

$55 2% 34% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,534 in Bonney Lake, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $65 in Bonney Lake, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $408 – making Bonney Lake, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bonney Lake, WA

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

04:08 4:08 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

22,487

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bonney Lake, WA 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bonney Lake, 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 Bonney Lake, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,105 in Bonney Lake, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bonney Lake, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,737 in Bonney Lake, WA. That’s a gap of about 11%.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Bonney Lake, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,737 in Bonney Lake, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Bonney Lake, WA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 11% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.