Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Gig Harbor, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,475 in Gig Harbor, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
170

Cost of Living Index in Gig Harbor, WA
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Gig Harbor, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Gig Harbor, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,475

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,475 in Gig Harbor, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Gig Harbor, WA $3,475

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,793 in Gig Harbor, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Gig Harbor, WA $4,793

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,112 in Gig Harbor, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Gig Harbor, WA $6,112

Chicago, IL is about 10% cheaper than Gig Harbor, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Gig Harbor, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Gig Harbor, WA by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.20 $25.20

-18.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$79.4 $79.4

13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$14.60 $14.60

-11.37%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.43 $6.43

-12.91%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.25 $3.25

-18.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.52 $2.52

-9.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.88 $6.88

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.23 $8.23

7.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.13 $1.13

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$5.09 $5.09

-25.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.98 $5.98

-11.37%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.95 $4.95

-3.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$16.71 $16.71

-16.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$16.19 $16.19

-9.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$23.54 $23.54

-20.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.08 $5.08

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.74 $1.74

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.14 $5.14

-23.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.78 $5.78

-14.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.60 $3.60

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.28 $3.28

-15.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.48 $2.48

-10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.39 $2.39

24.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.11 $12.11

15.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.94 $14.94

2.28%

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

$4.85 $4.85

-27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.96 $1.96

26.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$62.9 $62.9

18.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.65 $2.65

26.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.70 $1.70

-15.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$30.26 $30.26

-19.63%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.89%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.48%

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

$193 $193

$233 $233

-17.27%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$71.2 $71.2

-4.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$86.3 $86.3

-28.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$66.4 $66.4

-18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.78 $17.78

-0.22%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$3,017 $3,017

-45.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$30.9K $30.9K

0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$60.8 $60.8

8.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$54.9 $54.9

-6.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$84.7 $84.7

18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$125 $125

12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,865 $1,865

31.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,860 $1,860

-9.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,034 $3,034

55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,605 $2,605

7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,459 $5,459

-10.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gig Harbor, 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%

Gig Harbor, WA

$1.9K 53.5% 10.9% $183

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Gig Harbor, WA

$497 14.3% 10.6% $48

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Gig Harbor, WA

$396 11.4% 15.4% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Gig Harbor, WA

$391 11.2% 21.2% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Gig Harbor, WA

$147 4.2% 9.1% $15

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Gig Harbor, WA

$82 2.4% 13.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Gig Harbor, WA

$102 2.9% 13.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,865 in Gig Harbor, 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 12% higher in Gig Harbor, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $79.0 in Gig Harbor, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $497 in Gig Harbor, WA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gig Harbor, WA

🕒 Local time

03:10 3:10 AM

01:10 1:10 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

12,029

💱 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 Gig Harbor, WA 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Gig Harbor, WA

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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 Gig Harbor, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,475 in Gig Harbor, WA – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,212 in Gig Harbor, 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.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Gig Harbor, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $79.0 in Gig Harbor, 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 $3,475 in Gig Harbor, 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 $3,475 in Gig Harbor, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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