Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Poulsbo, WA: $2,934 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
141

Cost of Living Index in Poulsbo, WA
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Poulsbo, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Poulsbo, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,934 in Poulsbo, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Poulsbo, WA $2,934

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,806 in Poulsbo, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Poulsbo, WA $2,806

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,678 in Poulsbo, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Poulsbo, WA $2,678

Chicago, IL costs about 4% more than Poulsbo, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Poulsbo, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Poulsbo, WA by 116%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.75 $20.75

-0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$52.6 $52.6

69.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.14 $8.14

62.04%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.51 $4.51

25.50%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.17 $2.17

21.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.49 $1.49

53.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.97 $3.97

73.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$12.15 $12.15

-27.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.73 $2.73

36.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.75 $2.75

96.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.57 $4.57

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.11 $15.11

-8.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.66 $13.66

5.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.37 $13.37

37.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.55 $5.55

-5.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.66 $2.66

-25.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.55 $5.55

-26.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.34 $4.34

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.01 $4.01

-33.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.36 $5.36

-50.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.24 $3.24

-30.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.03 $2.03

54.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.27 $12.27

12.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.75 $14.75

0.88%

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

$3.45 $3.45

1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

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

$1.43 $1.43

-16.08%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

26.17%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.36%

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

$194 $194

$153 $153

26.91%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.8 $54.8

26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.8 $64.8

-4.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$59.0 $59.0

-18.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$19.95 $19.95

-10.73%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,099 $1,099

63.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$49.3K $49.3K

-35.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.3 $50.3

33.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.45 $30.45

71.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.9 $98.9

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

41.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,056 $2,056

22.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,709 $1,709

-7.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.44

5.75%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Poulsbo, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Poulsbo, WA

$1.7K 58.2% 8.3% $131

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Poulsbo, WA

$416 14.2% 7% $31

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Poulsbo, WA

$303 10.3% 12.1% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Poulsbo, WA

$273 9.3% 16.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Poulsbo, WA

$126 4.3% 22.9% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Poulsbo, WA

$7.8 * 0.3% 91.7% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Poulsbo, WA

$99 3.4% 18.4% $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 $2,056 in Poulsbo, 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 $53 in Poulsbo, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $416 – making Poulsbo, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Poulsbo, WA

🕒 Local time

00:34 12:34 AM

22:34 10:34 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,975

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Poulsbo, WA 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,934 in Poulsbo, WA – Poulsbo, WA comes out roughly 3% 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 $4,401 in Poulsbo, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Poulsbo, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,056 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $53 in Poulsbo, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,934 in Poulsbo, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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