Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and McLean, VA

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in McLean, VA: $3,037 and $2,991 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in McLean, VA
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McLean, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

McLean, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,991

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in McLean, VA

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 McLean, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,991 in McLean, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
McLean, VA $2,991

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,744 in McLean, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
McLean, VA $4,744

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,496 in McLean, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
McLean, VA $6,496

Chicago, IL and McLean, VA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and McLean, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, McLean, VA by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.24 $16.24

27.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$69.5 $69.5

28.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.39 $11.39

15.80%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.41 $5.41

4.62%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.34 $2.34

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.86 $8.86

-22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$10.14 $10.14

-12.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.29 $1.29

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.18 $4.18

-11.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.17 $2.17

148.39%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.76 $4.76

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.84 $16.84

-17.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.61 $16.61

-13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.61 $18.61

-1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.22 $6.22

-16.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 $1.68

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.99 $4.99

-18.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.83 $5.83

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.91 $2.91

-8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.73 $3.73

-28.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.60 $2.60

-13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.75 $2.75

13.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.85 $13.85

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.02 $16.02

-7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.26 $3.26

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.68 $5.68

-38.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.46 $2.46

-1.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.02 $4.02

-20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 $1.58

-12.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.92 $24.92

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.88 $0.88

36.36%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.9K $34.9K

0.48%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.44%

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

$194 $194

$213 $213

-8.83%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$74.9 $74.9

-7.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$54.7 $54.7

12.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$88.4 $88.4

-45.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.64 $17.64

0.96%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,901 $1,901

-5.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$41.7K $41.7K

-23.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.2 $52.2

28.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.80 $44.80

16.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$70.6 $70.6

43.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$63.9 $63.9

124.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,751 $2,751

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,607 $1,607

-1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,026 $4,026

17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,481 $3,481

-22.64%

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

$5,837 $5,837

-15.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for McLean, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

McLean, VA

$1.6K 53.7% 1.8% $29

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

McLean, VA

$481 16.1% 7.6% $34

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

McLean, VA

$311 10.4% 9.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

McLean, VA

$343 11.5% 5.3% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

McLean, VA

$104 3.5% 36.5% $60

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

McLean, VA

$22 * 0.7% 76.7% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

McLean, VA

$124 4.1% 48.1% $40

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 $2,751 in McLean, VA. 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 18% higher in McLean, VA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $69 in McLean, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $481 in McLean, VA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 McLean, VA

🕒 Local time

23:02 11:02 PM

00:02 12:02 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

48,115

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL McLean, VA 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
McLean, VA

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 McLean, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,487 in McLean, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,751 in McLean, VA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,901 in McLean, VA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,991 in McLean, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.