Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ellensburg, WA: $2,404 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Ellensburg, WA
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Ellensburg, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,404

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Ellensburg, WA $2,404

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,555 in Ellensburg, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Ellensburg, WA $3,555

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,705 in Ellensburg, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Ellensburg, WA $4,705

Chicago, IL costs about 26% more than Ellensburg, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Ellensburg, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Ellensburg, WA by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.25 $15.25

35.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.2 $75.2

18.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.13 $12.13

8.74%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.04 $5.04

12.30%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.54 $1.54

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.26 $1.26

80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.87 $4.87

41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.09 $6.09

45.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.98 $0.98

27.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.79 $2.79

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.71 $4.71

14.44%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.23 $4.23

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.48 $15.48

-10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.66 $6.66

116.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.53 $13.53

35.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.60 $4.60

13.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 $1.43

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.27 $4.27

-4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.96 $3.96

25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.51 $1.51

76.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.22 $2.22

19.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.96 $1.96

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.91 $1.91

63.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.89 $9.89

39.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.99 $13.99

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.86 $1.86

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.90 $4.90

-28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$57.6 $57.6

27.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.09 $5.09

-37.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.76 $1.76

-21.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.42 $39.42

-36.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.07%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.3K $27.3K

-2.25%

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

$194 $194

$149 $149

30.33%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.60 $39.60

75.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.3 $71.3

-13.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.90 $40.90

17.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.93 $15.93

11.80%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,356 $1,356

32.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.6K $21.6K

47.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$34.48 $34.48

94.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$34.61 $34.61

50.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$109 $109

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$40.10 $40.10

258.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,614 $1,614

56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,277 $1,277

23.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,509 $2,509

88.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,172 $2,172

23.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,531 $4,531

-7.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,418 $4,418

-37.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$1,785 $1,785

176.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.5

4.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Ellensburg, WA

$1.3K 53.1% 19.1% $301

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Ellensburg, WA

$349 14.5% 22% $98

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Ellensburg, WA

$267 11.1% 22.7% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Ellensburg, WA

$260 10.8% 20.1% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Ellensburg, WA

$98 4.1% 40.1% $66

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Ellensburg, WA

$80 3.3% 14.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Ellensburg, WA

$73 3% 12.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $75 in Ellensburg, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $349 – making Ellensburg, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ellensburg, WA

🕒 Local time

04:55 4:55 AM

02:55 2:55 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

18,666

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Ellensburg, WA 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Ellensburg, WA

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA – Ellensburg, WA comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,605 in Ellensburg, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ellensburg, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,614 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Ellensburg, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ellensburg, 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 Ellensburg, WA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.