Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,918 in Eastsound, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL, United States
Eastsound, WA, United States
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Eastsound, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,918 in Eastsound, WA, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,037
  • Eastsound, WA $3,918

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,766 in Eastsound, WA, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,518
  • Eastsound, WA $5,766

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,614 in Eastsound, WA, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $5,999
  • Eastsound, WA $7,614

Chicago, IL is about 22% cheaper than Eastsound, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Eastsound, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Eastsound, WA by 188%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.71 $20.71
$25.29 $25.29
-18.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.2 $89.2
$73.4 $73.4
21.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 $13.19
$15.05 $15.05
-12.36%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$6.59 $6.59
-14.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.55 $2.55
3.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$2.53 $2.53
-9.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.87 $6.87
$5.89 $5.89
16.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.84 $8.84
$6.62 $6.62
33.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 $1.25
$1.21 $1.21
3.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$5.07 $5.07
-26.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$6.33 $6.33
-14.85%
Eggs
$4.74 $4.74
$4.90 $4.90
-3.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.84 $13.84
$19.01 $19.01
-27.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.40 $14.40
$18.32 $18.32
-21.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 $18.38
$22.73 $22.73
-19.14%
Apples (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$4.86 $4.86
7.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.89 $1.89
4.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$5.54 $5.54
-26.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$6.25 $6.25
-20.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$3.58 $3.58
-25.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 $2.66
$2.26 $2.26
17.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$2.89 $2.89
-22.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.57 $2.57
21.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 $13.82
$12.48 $12.48
10.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$14.86 $14.86
0.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$4.34 $4.34
-41.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 $3.51
$3.17 $3.17
10.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.88 $1.88
29.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.5 $73.5
$63.8 $63.8
15.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 $3.18
$2.64 $2.64
20.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.72 $1.72
-19.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.03 $25.03
$30.35 $30.35
-17.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.37 $1.37
-12.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$36.0K $36.0K
-2.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$26.1K $26.1K
2.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 $194
$303 $303
-35.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$69.5 $69.5
-0.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.6 $61.6
$87.3 $87.3
-29.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.90 $47.90
$40.24 $40.24
19.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.34 $27.34
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.81 $17.81
$18.07 $18.07
-1.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,794 $1,794
$1,209 $1,209
48.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.9K $31.9K
$15.0K $15.0K
112.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 $67.0
$80.5 $80.5
-16.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$55.5 $55.5
-6.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$128 $128
-20.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$122 $122
17.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 $2,526
$1,651 $1,651
53.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 $1,578
$2,207 $2,207
-28.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,738 $4,738
$2,507 $2,507
88.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,693 $2,693
$4,012 $4,012
-32.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,190 $4,190
$5,293 $5,293
-20.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,768 $2,768
$2,159 $2,159
28.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
Eastsound, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,931 $4,931
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
6
13.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Eastsound, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.6K
Eastsound, WA
$2.2K 39.9% $629
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$447
Eastsound, WA
$529 18.2% $82
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$345
Eastsound, WA
$390 13% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$326
Eastsound, WA
$460 41.3% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$164
Eastsound, WA
$174 6% $9.9
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$93
Eastsound, WA
$83 11.6% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$84
Eastsound, WA
$76 8.6% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,651 in Eastsound, 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 $73 in Eastsound, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $529 in Eastsound, WA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 Eastsound, WA
🕒 Local time
15:27 3:27 PM
13:27 1:27 PM
2 h behind Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL Eastsound, WA 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • Eastsound, 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 Eastsound, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chicago, IL and in Eastsound, WA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,918 in Eastsound, WA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chicago, IL compared to Eastsound, WA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,877 in Eastsound, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chicago, IL and Eastsound, WA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Eastsound, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,651 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Eastsound, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $73 in Eastsound, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,918 in Eastsound, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Chicago, IL and Eastsound, WA?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,918 in Eastsound, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Chicago, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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