Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chelan, WA: $2,685 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Chelan, WA
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Chelan, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Chelan, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,685

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,685 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Chelan, WA $2,685

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,965 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Chelan, WA $3,965

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,245 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Chelan, WA $5,245

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Chelan, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Chelan, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Chelan, WA by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.39 $25.39

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$101 $101

-10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$14.72 $14.72

-12.09%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.52 $6.52

-14.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.21 $3.21

-17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.00 $3.00

-24.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.99 $7.99

-12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.84 $7.84

12.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.08 $1.08

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.37 $3.37

12.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.43 $4.43

19.64%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.95 $4.95

-3.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.92 $10.92

27.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$6.57 $6.57

122.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$11.16 $11.16

68.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.27 $4.27

21.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.86 $1.86

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.33 $4.33

-9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.33 $4.33

14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.16 $2.16

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.26 $2.26

22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.97 $1.97

12.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.51 $2.51

18.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.25 $9.25

51.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.07 $10.07

51.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.27 $4.27

-39.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.10 $5.10

-31.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.06 $2.06

19.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$60.2 $60.2

24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.66 $2.66

25.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.64 $1.64

-12.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$30.33 $30.33

-19.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.37 $1.37

-8.03%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.5K $34.5K

1.50%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.20%

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

$193 $193

$254 $254

-24.15%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$70.6 $70.6

-3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$50.4 $50.4

21.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$46.44 $46.44

16.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$9.92 $9.92

181.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.22 $12.22

45.17%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$3,059 $3,059

-46.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$31.3K $31.3K

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$40.62 $40.62

62.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$25.47 $25.47

101.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$60.0 $60.0

66.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$99.6 $99.6

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,568 $1,568

56.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,299 $1,299

29.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,478 $2,478

90.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,141 $2,141

30.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,972 $2,972

38.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,492 $2,492

6.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,061 $4,061

19.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

13.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chelan, 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%

Chelan, WA

$1.3K 48.4% 22.6% $379

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Chelan, WA

$353 13.2% 21.4% $96

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Chelan, WA

$406 15.1% 18.2% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Chelan, WA

$375 14% 16.4% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Chelan, WA

$102 3.8% 37% $60

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Chelan, WA

$79 3% 16.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Chelan, WA

$71 2.6% 20.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,568 in Chelan, 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 20% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Chelan, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $353 in Chelan, WA – so Chelan, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Chelan, WA

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

16:07 4:07 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

4,200

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Chelan, WA 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Chelan, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,028 in Chelan, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chelan, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Chelan, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,685 in Chelan, WA. That’s a gap of about 17%.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,685 in Chelan, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,685 in Chelan, WA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chelan, 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.