Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mount Vernon, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Vernon, WA: $2,834 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Mount Vernon, WA
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Mount Vernon, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Mount Vernon, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,834

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,834 in Mount Vernon, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Mount Vernon, WA $2,834

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,004 in Mount Vernon, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Mount Vernon, WA $4,004

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,173 in Mount Vernon, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Mount Vernon, WA $5,173

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Mount Vernon, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Mount Vernon, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Mount Vernon, WA by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.25 $22.25

-6.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$60.3 $60.3

48.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.86 $12.86

2.57%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.96 $5.96

-5.03%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.19 $2.19

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.70 $1.70

34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.19 $7.19

-4.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.37 $9.37

-5.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.24 $4.24

-12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.76 $2.76

95.29%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.40 $5.40

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.21 $11.21

23.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.60 $6.60

118.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$8.19 $8.19

124.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.60 $5.60

-6.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.43 $2.43

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.33 $5.33

-23.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.50 $4.50

10.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.92 $4.92

-45.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.92 $1.92

38.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.03 $2.03

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.97 $1.97

58.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$5.92 $5.92

133.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.87 $19.87

-25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.17 $2.17

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.52 $2.52

39.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.54 $30.54

140.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.16 $1.16

3.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

25.83%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$19.2K $19.2K

38.98%

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

$194 $194

$157 $157

24.08%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$44.44 $44.44

56.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.4 $65.4

-5.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$71.0 $71.0

-32.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.64 $13.64

30.57%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,915 $1,915

-6.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$48.4K $48.4K

-33.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$39.55 $39.55

69.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.18 $30.18

72.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$78.4 $78.4

29.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$80.0 $80.0

79.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,489 $1,489

69.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,609 $1,609

-1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,545 $2,545

86.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,514 $2,514

7.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,964 $3,964

5.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,064 $4,064

-31.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,803 $3,803

29.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.42

6.07%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mount Vernon, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Mount Vernon, WA

$1.6K 56.8% 1.9% $31

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Mount Vernon, WA

$369 13% 17.5% $78

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Mount Vernon, WA

$358 12.6% 3.9% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Mount Vernon, WA

$267 9.4% 18.1% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Mount Vernon, WA

$103 3.6% 37.4% $61

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Mount Vernon, WA

$31 * 1.1% 67.3% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Mount Vernon, WA

$98 3.5% 17.7% $15

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 $1,489 in Mount Vernon, 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 30% 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 $60 in Mount Vernon, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $369 – making Mount Vernon, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Mount Vernon, WA

🕒 Local time

07:55 7:55 AM

05:55 5:55 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

73,893

💱 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 Mount Vernon, WA 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,834 in Mount Vernon, WA – Mount Vernon, WA comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,251 in Mount Vernon, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mount Vernon, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,489 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Mount Vernon, 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 $2,834 in Mount Vernon, 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 $2,834 in Mount Vernon, WA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mount Vernon, 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.