Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Pasco, WA: $2,544 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Pasco, WA
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Pasco, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Pasco, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,544 in Pasco, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Pasco, WA $2,544

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,640 in Pasco, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Pasco, WA $3,640

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,737 in Pasco, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Pasco, WA $4,737

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Pasco, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Pasco, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Pasco, WA by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.85 $18.85

9.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$66.4 $66.4

34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.25 $13.25

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.07 $6.07

-6.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.56 $2.56

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.52 $1.52

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.90 $7.90

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.24 $8.24

7.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.69 $4.69

-20.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.03 $5.03

7.16%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.15 $3.15

50.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.25 $12.25

12.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.53 $15.53

-7.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$21.90 $21.90

-16.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.75 $6.75

-22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.01 $2.01

-1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.18 $2.18

86.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.26 $2.26

119.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.14 $2.14

24.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.24 $2.24

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.01 $2.01

11.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.01 $2.01

55.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.43 $11.43

20.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.53 $15.53

-4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.45 $3.45

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.20 $5.20

-32.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.53 $1.53

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.08 $5.08

-37.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.89 $1.89

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.69 $23.69

5.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.25 $1.25

-4.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.7K $33.7K

3.85%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.74%

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

$194 $194

$303 $303

-35.88%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$62.5 $62.5

11.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$67.3 $67.3

-8.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$45.87 $45.87

4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.85 $14.85

19.93%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,668 $1,668

7.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.7K $24.7K

29.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$65.7 $65.7

2.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.28 $38.28

36.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$134 $134

7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,496 $1,496

68.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,089 $1,089

44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,350 $2,350

101.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,709 $1,709

57.57%

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

$4,161 $4,161

18.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pasco, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Pasco, WA

$1.1K 42.8% 31% $489

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Pasco, WA

$437 17.2% 2.3% $10

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Pasco, WA

$336 13.2% 2.7% $9.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Pasco, WA

$433 17% 33% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Pasco, WA

$153 6% 7% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Pasco, WA

$21 * 0.8% 77.9% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Pasco, WA

$76 3% 9.5% $8

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 $1,496 in Pasco, 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 18% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $66 in Pasco, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $437 – making Pasco, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pasco, WA

🕒 Local time

04:40 4:40 AM

02:40 2:40 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

77,108

💱 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 Pasco, WA 2,540 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,544 in Pasco, WA – Pasco, WA comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,816 in Pasco, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasco, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,496 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,668 in Pasco, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,544 in Pasco, WA. That makes Pasco, WA about 16% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,544 in Pasco, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pasco, 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 Pasco, 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.