Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lacey, WA: $2,784 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Lacey, WA
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Lacey, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lacey, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,784

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,784 in Lacey, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lacey, WA $2,784

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,064 in Lacey, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lacey, WA $4,064

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,345 in Lacey, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lacey, WA $5,345

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Lacey, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Lacey, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lacey, WA by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.93 $24.93

-16.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$70.7 $70.7

26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.83 $14.83

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.81 $6.81

-16.89%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.21 $3.21

-17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.93 $2.93

-22.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.97 $7.97

-13.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.20 $8.20

7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.09 $1.09

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.61 $4.61

-19.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.19 $3.19

68.97%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.85 $4.85

-2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.22 $18.22

-24.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.56 $10.56

36.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.87 $16.87

8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.21 $5.21

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.11 $4.11

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.70 $4.70

5.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.62 $2.62

1.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.48 $2.48

7.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.89 $2.89

-22.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.48 $2.48

26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.50 $12.50

10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.07 $15.07

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.38 $2.38

6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.41 $2.41

45.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.89 $1.89

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$66.4 $66.4

10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.62 $2.62

21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.66 $1.66

-16.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.54 $29.54

-15.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.36 $1.36

-11.76%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

23.56%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.73%

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

$194 $194

$220 $220

-11.74%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.3 $68.3

1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$93.6 $93.6

-34.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.84 $39.84

20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.84 $12.84

38.71%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,425 $1,425

25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.7K $31.7K

0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.93 $44.93

49.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.7 $55.7

-6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.3 $91.3

11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$100 $100

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,613 $1,613

56.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,289 $1,289

22.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,256 $2,256

110.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,155 $2,155

24.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,252 $3,252

28.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,507 $2,507

10.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,247 $4,247

16.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lacey, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lacey, WA

$1.3K 46.3% 18.3% $289

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lacey, WA

$424 15.2% 5.2% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lacey, WA

$406 14.6% 17.8% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lacey, WA

$382 13.7% 17.4% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lacey, WA

$132 4.7% 19.8% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lacey, WA

$85 3.1% 9.1% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lacey, WA

$66 2.4% 21.6% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,613 in Lacey, 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 16% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $71 in Lacey, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $424 – making Lacey, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lacey, WA

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

01:33 1:33 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

53,526

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Lacey, WA 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,784 in Lacey, WA – Lacey, WA comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,175 in Lacey, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lacey, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,613 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $71 in Lacey, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,784 in Lacey, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lacey, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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