Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Federal Way, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,292 in Federal Way, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Federal Way, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Federal Way, WA
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Federal Way, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,292

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,292 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Federal Way, WA $3,292

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,328 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Federal Way, WA $4,328

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,364 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Federal Way, WA $5,364

Chicago, IL is about 8% cheaper than Federal Way, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Federal Way, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Federal Way, WA by 142%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.43 $25.43

-18.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.7 $75.7

17.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.64 $12.64

4.35%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.79 $5.79

-2.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.96 $2.96

-10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.66 $1.66

37.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.20 $7.20

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.09 $7.09

24.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.11 $1.11

12.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.06 $4.06

-8.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.17 $3.17

70.03%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.25 $5.25

-9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.13 $16.13

-14.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.70 $10.70

34.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.14 $19.14

-3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.03 $5.03

3.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.57 $1.57

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.15 $4.15

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.63 $4.63

7.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.59 $2.59

3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.46 $2.46

8.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.29 $2.29

-2.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.50 $2.50

25.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.41 $12.41

11.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.26 $15.26

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

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

$2.60 $2.60

-6.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.65 $2.65

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.71 $1.71

-18.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.95 $29.95

-16.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.31 $1.31

-8.40%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.32%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

-1.79%

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

$194 $194

$158 $158

22.90%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$77.5 $77.5

-10.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$87.1 $87.1

-29.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$13.02 $13.02

267.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.91 $11.91

49.54%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,423 $1,423

26.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.4K $31.4K

1.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$45.30 $45.30

47.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.29 $44.29

17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.7 $84.7

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

42.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,006 $2,006

25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,987 $1,987

-20.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,761 $2,761

71.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,448 $2,448

10.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,459 $4,459

10.57%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Federal Way, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Federal Way, WA

$2K 60.4% 25.9% $409

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Federal Way, WA

$420 12.8% 6.1% $27

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Federal Way, WA

$379 11.5% 10% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Federal Way, WA

$323 9.8% 0.8% $2.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Federal Way, WA

$124 3.8% 24.5% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Federal Way, WA

$22 * 0.7% 76.9% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Federal Way, WA

$37 1.1% 55.9% $47

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,006 in Federal Way, 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 11% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Federal Way, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $420 – making Federal Way, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA

🕒 Local time

12:00 12:00 PM

10:00 10:00 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

101,030

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Federal Way, WA 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,292 in Federal Way, WA – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,938 in Federal Way, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Federal Way, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,006 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Federal Way, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Federal Way, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,292 in Federal Way, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,292 in Federal Way, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.