Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Seattle, WA $7,603

Chicago, IL is about 16% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$25.32 $25.32

-14.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$101 $101

-12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$14.85 $14.85

-11.11%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$6.59 $6.59

-15.17%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.22 $3.22

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.14 $3.14

-28.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.18 $8.18

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.03 $8.03

14.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.21 $1.21

5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$5.12 $5.12

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.30 $6.30

-19.52%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.90 $4.90

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$19.10 $19.10

-25.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$18.50 $18.50

-21.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$23.03 $23.03

-18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.81 $5.81

-10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.95 $1.95

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.29 $5.29

-24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$6.48 $6.48

-23.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.57 $3.57

-21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.15 $3.15

-15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.85 $2.85

-25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.42 $2.42

27.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$12.75 $12.75

25.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.99 $14.99

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$4.17 $4.17

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.99 $5.99

-42.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.04 $3.04

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$110 $110

-31.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.55 $2.55

25.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.64 $1.64

-15.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$29.58 $29.58

-15.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.42 $1.42

-12.68%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$35.7K $35.7K

4.01%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.03%

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

$192 $192

$299 $299

-35.69%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$70.8 $70.8

-4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$88.3 $88.3

-31.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$79.5 $79.5

-32.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$35.37 $35.37

-21.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$17.12 $17.12

3.97%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$3,013 $3,013

-48.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$31.6K $31.6K

-0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$77.2 $77.2

-12.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$55.1 $55.1

-7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$126 $126

-19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$163 $163

-11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,464 $2,464

-3.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,956 $1,956

-12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$4,711 $4,711

-0.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$3,550 $3,550

-22.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$7,346 $7,346

-43.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$5,048 $5,048

-46.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$6,286 $6,286

-22.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.85

-1.17%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 14.3% $244

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 20% $90

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 15.8% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 42.7% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 15.8% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 39.8% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 27.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,464 in Seattle, 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 28% higher in Seattle, WA, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $542 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:49 6:49 AM

04:49 4:49 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Seattle, WA 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $3,800 in Seattle, WA – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $101 in Seattle, 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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