Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Buckley, WA: $2,432 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
118

Cost of Living Index in Buckley, WA
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Buckley, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Buckley, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,432

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,432 in Buckley, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Buckley, WA $2,432

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,581 in Buckley, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Buckley, WA $3,581

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,730 in Buckley, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Buckley, WA $4,730

Chicago, IL costs about 29% more than Buckley, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Buckley, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Buckley, WA by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.29 $25.29

-18.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$65.7 $65.7

37.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.37 $12.37

4.61%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.27 $6.27

-10.69%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.93 $2.93

-9.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.68 $1.68

35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.11 $7.11

-1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.06 $7.06

25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.75 $0.75

69.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.21 $2.21

71.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.23 $3.23

64.09%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.01 $4.01

18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.29 $13.29

5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.86 $8.86

64.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.37 $13.37

40.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.25 $3.25

59.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.90 $2.90

35.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.24 $3.24

53.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.74 $2.74

0.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.44 $2.44

13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.35 $2.35

-5.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.63 $2.63

13.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.06 $10.06

39.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$7.03 $7.03

117.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.49 $2.49

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.33 $2.33

50.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.89 $1.89

30.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$5.08 $5.08

-34.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.22 $1.22

17.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.78 $24.78

-1.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.31 $1.31

-3.82%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-2.03%

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

$193 $193

$159 $159

21.52%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$69.9 $69.9

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$40.10 $40.10

52.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.32 $40.32

34.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.14 $12.14

46.13%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,428 $1,428

15.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.6K $23.6K

31.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$27.07 $27.07

144.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$56.1 $56.1

-8.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$41.32 $41.32

142.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$65.5 $65.5

115.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,571 $1,571

55.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,290 $1,290

30.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,461 $2,461

91.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,186 $2,186

27.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,699 $2,699

52.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,412 $2,412

9.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,544 $2,544

91.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Buckley, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Buckley, WA

$1.3K 53.1% 23.1% $387

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Buckley, WA

$322 13.2% 28.4% $128

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Buckley, WA

$383 15.7% 11.4% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Buckley, WA

$269 11% 16.7% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Buckley, WA

$85 3.5% 47% $76

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Buckley, WA

$19 * 0.8% 80.3% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Buckley, WA

$65 2.7% 27.9% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,571 in Buckley, 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 91% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $66.0 in Buckley, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $322 – making Buckley, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Buckley, WA

🕒 Local time

06:38 6:38 AM

04:38 4:38 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

5,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Buckley, WA 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,648 in Buckley, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buckley, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $66.0 in Buckley, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,432 in Buckley, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Buckley, 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 Buckley, 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.