Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Issaquah, WA: $3,037 and $3,084 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Issaquah, WA
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Issaquah, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Issaquah, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,084

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,084 in Issaquah, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Issaquah, WA $3,084

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,423 in Issaquah, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Issaquah, WA $4,423

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,762 in Issaquah, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Issaquah, WA $5,762

Chicago, IL and Issaquah, WA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Issaquah, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Issaquah, WA by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.33 $25.33

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.4 $79.4

12.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.28 $11.28

16.93%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.77 $4.77

18.66%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.22 $3.22

-18.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.13 $2.13

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.14 $7.14

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.03 $7.03

25.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.46 $1.46

-14.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.38 $5.38

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.95 $5.95

-9.41%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.67 $5.67

-16.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.97 $15.97

-13.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.45 $15.45

-6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.38 $17.38

5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.80 $5.80

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.25 $2.25

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.25 $4.25

-4.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.56 $4.56

8.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.24 $2.24

19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.49 $2.49

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.75 $1.75

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.14 $3.14

-0.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.42 $12.42

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.13 $18.13

-17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.69 $1.69

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.00 $5.00

-29.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.79 $2.79

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.54 $2.54

25.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.69 $1.69

-17.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.48 $30.48

-17.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.35 $1.35

-11.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

24.99%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.96%

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

$194 $194

$227 $227

-14.26%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$62.3 $62.3

11.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$84.4 $84.4

-26.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.04 $15.04

18.42%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,091 $2,091

-14.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.5K $32.5K

-1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.4 $61.4

9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.65 $43.65

19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$83.8 $83.8

21.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$75.1 $75.1

91.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,083 $2,083

21.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,689 $1,689

-6.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,182 $3,182

48.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,704 $2,704

-0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,186 $4,186

0.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,490 $6,490

-24.02%

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 Issaquah, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Issaquah, WA

$1.7K 54.8% 7.1% $111

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Issaquah, WA

$486 15.7% 8.5% $38

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Issaquah, WA

$365 11.8% 5.8% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Issaquah, WA

$373 12.1% 14.7% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Issaquah, WA

$119 3.9% 27.6% $45

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Issaquah, WA

$22 * 0.7% 76.3% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Issaquah, WA

$30 * 1% 64% $53

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 $2,083 in Issaquah, 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 32% higher in Issaquah, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Issaquah, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $486 in Issaquah, WA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Issaquah, WA

🕒 Local time

01:23 1:23 AM

23:23 11:23 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

40,051

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Issaquah, WA 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,626 in Issaquah, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Issaquah, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,083 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,091 in Issaquah, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Issaquah, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,084 in Issaquah, 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 $3,084 in Issaquah, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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