Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,293 in Kent, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kent, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Kent, WA
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Kent, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kent, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,293

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,293 in Kent, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kent, WA $3,293

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,979 in Kent, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kent, WA $4,979

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,665 in Kent, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kent, WA $6,665

Chicago, IL is about 8% cheaper than Kent, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.40 $20.40

1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.6 $79.6

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.02 $14.02

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.73 $4.73

19.66%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.77 $2.77

-4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.12 $2.12

7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.90 $6.90

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.08 $8.08

9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.30 $1.30

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.04 $5.04

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.36 $3.36

60.42%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.90 $6.90

-31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.85 $14.85

-6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.26 $14.26

0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.97 $22.97

-19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.05 $6.05

-13.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.86 $1.86

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.75 $3.75

8.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.24 $4.24

17.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.80 $2.80

-4.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.64 $2.64

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.47 $1.47

52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.51 $2.51

24.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.52 $12.52

10.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.95 $14.95

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.09 $2.09

21.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.99 $1.99

76.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.05 $3.05

-20.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$62.0 $62.0

18.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.55 $2.55

24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.66 $1.66

-16.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.44 $30.44

-17.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.40 $1.40

-14.29%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.2K $32.2K

8.98%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

-2.00%

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

$194 $194

$308 $308

-36.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$62.0 $62.0

11.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$83.6 $83.6

-26.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.74 $32.74

46.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$17.21 $17.21

58.86%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$18.20 $18.20

-2.14%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,711 $2,711

-33.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.4K $31.4K

1.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.55 $40.55

65.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$54.3 $54.3

-3.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.3 $88.3

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$39.71 $39.71

261.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,049 $2,049

23.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,793 $1,793

-11.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,073 $4,073

16.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,455 $3,455

-22.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,893 $5,893

-28.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,982 $3,982

-30.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,660 $4,660

5.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.76

0.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kent, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kent, WA

$1.8K 54.4% 13.6% $215

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kent, WA

$461 14% 3% $13

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kent, WA

$332 10.1% 3.7% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kent, WA

$453 13.8% 39.2% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kent, WA

$100 3.1% 38.8% $64

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kent, WA

$85 2.6% 9% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kent, WA

$69 2.1% 17.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,049 in Kent, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $80 in Kent, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $461 in Kent, WA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kent, WA

🕒 Local time

14:16 2:16 PM

12:16 12:16 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

136,588

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,293 in Kent, WA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,940 in Kent, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kent, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,049 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Kent, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Kent, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,293 in Kent, 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 $3,293 in Kent, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.