Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Everett, WA: $3,139 and $3,161 a month, rent and utilities included.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in Everett, WA
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Everett, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Everett, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,161

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,161 in Everett, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Everett, WA $3,161

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,579 in Everett, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Everett, WA $4,579

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,997 in Everett, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Everett, WA $5,997

Chicago, IL is about 1% cheaper than Everett, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Everett, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Everett, WA by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.14 $25.14

-17.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$81.5 $81.5

10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.22 $12.22

5.89%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.14 $5.14

8.95%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.85 $2.85

-7.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.03 $2.03

11.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.95 $6.95

0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.98 $6.98

26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.06 $1.06

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.53 $3.53

7.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.04 $4.04

31.19%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.07 $4.07

16.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.88 $13.88

0.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.26 $13.26

10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.77 $22.77

-17.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.12 $5.12

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.69 $1.69

17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.06 $4.06

-3.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.68 $4.68

5.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.96 $1.96

40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.44 $2.44

13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.74 $1.74

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.49 $2.49

19.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.31 $12.31

13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.32 $16.32

-6.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.70 $1.70

51.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.17 $4.17

-16.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.08 $3.08

-19.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$88.8 $88.8

-15.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.58 $2.58

29.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.65 $1.65

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.96 $29.96

-18.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.34 $1.34

-5.97%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

22.87%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.08%

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

$193 $193

$226 $226

-14.68%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$73.5 $73.5

-7.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$89.7 $89.7

-31.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$30.20 $30.20

79.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.97 $13.97

26.99%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,078 $2,078

-20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$31.5K $31.5K

-1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$50.3 $50.3

31.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$44.53 $44.53

15.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$84.4 $84.4

18.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$127 $127

11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,819 $1,819

34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,670 $1,670

0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,061 $3,061

54.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,741 $2,741

2.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$4,374 $4,374

-6.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$4,095 $4,095

-35.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,593 $4,593

5.94%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Everett, WA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Everett, WA

$1.7K 52.8% 0.5% $8

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Everett, WA

$427 13.5% 5% $22

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Everett, WA

$368 11.6% 7% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Everett, WA

$389 12.3% 20.7% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Everett, WA

$138 4.4% 14.7% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Everett, WA

$112 3.5% 17.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Everett, WA

$58 1.8% 35.1% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,819 in Everett, 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 6% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $82.0 in Everett, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $427 – making Everett, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Everett, WA

🕒 Local time

06:36 6:36 AM

04:36 4:36 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

110,629

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,161 in Everett, WA – roughly 1% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,742 in Everett, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Everett, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $82.0 in Everett, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,161 in Everett, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,161 in Everett, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Everett, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.