Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Ocean Shores, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Ocean Shores, WA: $2,814 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 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
137

Cost of Living Index in Ocean Shores, WA
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Ocean Shores, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Ocean Shores, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,814

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,814 in Ocean Shores, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Ocean Shores, WA $2,814

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,147 in Ocean Shores, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Ocean Shores, WA $4,147

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,480 in Ocean Shores, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Ocean Shores, WA $5,480

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Ocean Shores, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Ocean Shores, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Ocean Shores, WA by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.79 $24.79

-16.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$101 $101

-11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$15.22 $15.22

-13.34%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.77 $6.77

-16.40%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.15 $3.15

-16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.14 $3.14

-27.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.13 $8.13

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.16 $8.16

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.15 $1.15

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.25 $3.25

14.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.37 $5.37

0.37%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.46 $3.46

36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.19 $11.19

23.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.22 $6.22

131.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.50 $16.50

11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.47 $4.47

16.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.86 $1.86

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.37 $3.37

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.29 $6.29

-20.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.49 $3.49

-23.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.16 $3.16

-15.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.96 $1.96

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.97 $1.97

58.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.42 $12.42

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.75 $14.75

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.18 $2.18

16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.98 $1.98

77.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$59.7 $59.7

23.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.67 $2.67

19.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.72 $1.72

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.49 $29.49

-15.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.42 $1.42

-15.49%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$37.0K $37.0K

-5.37%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.59%

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

$194 $194

$302 $302

-35.53%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.6 $68.6

1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$87.5 $87.5

-29.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.13 $35.13

36.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$18.30 $18.30

-2.68%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,796 $2,796

-35.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.0K $31.0K

3.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$80.0 $80.0

-16.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.3 $55.3

-5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$127 $127

-20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$160 $160

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,413 $1,413

78.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,244 $1,244

26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,604 $2,604

81.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,071 $2,071

30.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,770 $2,770

51.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,491 $2,491

11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.89

-1.16%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ocean Shores, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Ocean Shores, WA

$1.2K 44.2% 21.2% $334

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Ocean Shores, WA

$365 13% 18.5% $83

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Ocean Shores, WA

$407 14.5% 18.1% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Ocean Shores, WA

$458 16.3% 40.6% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Ocean Shores, WA

$190 6.8% 16% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Ocean Shores, WA

$79 2.8% 15.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Ocean Shores, WA

$72 2.6% 14.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,413 in Ocean Shores, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Ocean Shores, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $365 in Ocean Shores, WA – so Ocean Shores, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ocean Shores, WA

🕒 Local time

17:28 5:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

6,700

💱 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 Ocean Shores, WA 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,814 in Ocean Shores, WA – Ocean Shores, 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 $4,221 in Ocean Shores, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ocean Shores, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,413 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Ocean Shores, 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 $2,814 in Ocean Shores, 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 $2,814 in Ocean Shores, WA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.