Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,776 in Redmond, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 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
183

Cost of Living Index in Redmond, WA
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Redmond, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Redmond, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,776

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,776 in Redmond, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Redmond, WA $3,776

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,219 in Redmond, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Redmond, WA $5,219

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,662 in Redmond, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Redmond, WA $6,662

Chicago, IL is about 20% cheaper than Redmond, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Redmond, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Redmond, WA by 177%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.56 $24.56

-15.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.3 $80.3

11.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.20 $12.20

8.11%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.65 $5.65

0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.20 $3.20

-17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.56 $2.56

-10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.08 $7.08

-2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.85 $6.85

29.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.15 $1.15

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.06 $5.06

-26.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.89 $5.89

-8.49%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.60 $5.60

-15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.10 $16.10

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.74 $15.74

-8.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$23.47 $23.47

-21.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.98 $5.98

-12.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.09 $4.09

-0.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.69 $4.69

5.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.66 $2.66

0.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.04 $3.04

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.79 $1.79

25.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.21 $3.21

-2.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.36 $12.36

11.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.71 $14.71

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.92 $4.92

-28.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.05 $3.05

-20.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$99.7 $99.7

-26.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.63 $2.63

20.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.73 $1.73

-19.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.01 $30.01

-16.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.44 $1.44

-16.67%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.3K $28.3K

23.84%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-1.06%

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

$194 $194

$305 $305

-36.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$62.9 $62.9

10.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$85.5 $85.5

-27.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$59.5 $59.5

-19.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$41.28 $41.28

-33.77%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.87 $17.87

-0.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,697 $2,697

-33.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$30.5K $30.5K

4.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$68.5 $68.5

-2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.5 $55.5

-6.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$90.7 $90.7

11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$127 $127

12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,613 $2,613

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,082 $2,082

-24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,162 $4,162

13.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,020 $3,020

-10.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$6,289 $6,289

-33.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$5,748 $5,748

-51.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$9,391 $9,391

-47.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Redmond, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Redmond, WA

$2.1K 55.2% 32% $504

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Redmond, WA

$495 13.1% 10.6% $47

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Redmond, WA

$373 9.9% 8.1% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Redmond, WA

$453 12% 39.2% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Redmond, WA

$154 4.1% 6.2% $10

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Redmond, WA

$123 3.3% 31.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Redmond, WA

$95 2.5% 14% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,613 in Redmond, 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 90% higher in Redmond, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $80 in Redmond, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $495 in Redmond, WA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Redmond, WA

🕒 Local time

05:41 5:41 AM

03:41 3:41 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

73,256

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Redmond, WA 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,776 in Redmond, WA – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 20% 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 $5,663 in Redmond, WA. 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 $2,613 in Redmond, WA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Redmond, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Redmond, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,776 in Redmond, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,776 in Redmond, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Redmond, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.