Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Stafford, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Stafford, VA: $2,568 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 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 Stafford, VA
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Stafford, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Stafford, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Stafford, VA

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 Stafford, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,568 in Stafford, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Stafford, VA $2,568

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,011 in Stafford, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Stafford, VA $4,011

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,454 in Stafford, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Stafford, VA $5,454

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Stafford, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Stafford, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Stafford, VA by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.30 $16.30

27.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$107 $107

-16.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.98 $11.98

10.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.38 $5.38

5.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.13 $3.13

-15.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.62 $2.62

-12.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.81 $6.81

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.88 $9.88

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.35 $1.35

-7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.07 $3.07

21.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.19 $7.19

-25.03%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.06 $5.06

-6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$17.22 $17.22

-19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.11 $11.11

29.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.41 $18.41

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.04 $7.04

-25.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.29 $2.29

-13.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.11 $5.11

-20.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.94 $5.94

-16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.80 $2.80

-4.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.72 $3.72

-28.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.65 $2.65

-15.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.77 $2.77

13.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$14.05 $14.05

-1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.11 $16.11

-7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.33 $3.33

-23.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.64 $5.64

-37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.05 $4.05

-21.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.62 $1.62

-14.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.50 $25.50

-1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.5K $34.5K

1.56%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.55%

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

$194 $194

$137 $137

41.54%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$81.7 $81.7

-15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$79.3 $79.3

-22.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.85 $17.85

-0.22%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,906 $2,906

-38.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$40.8K $40.8K

-21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$72.2 $72.2

-7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.78 $44.78

16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$106 $106

-4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$126 $126

14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,767 $1,767

42.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,283 $1,283

22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,630 $2,630

80.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,406 $2,406

11.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,271 $3,271

-15.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,504 $7,504

-34.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

13.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Stafford, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Stafford, VA

$1.3K 50% 18.7% $295

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Stafford, VA

$475 18.5% 6.1% $27

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Stafford, VA

$308 12% 10.8% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Stafford, VA

$298 11.6% 8.3% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Stafford, VA

$157 6.1% 4.4% $7.2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Stafford, VA

$12 * 0.5% 87% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Stafford, VA

$36 * 1.4% 57.3% $48

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 $1,767 in Stafford, VA. 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 52% higher in Stafford, VA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $107 in Stafford, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $475 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Stafford, VA

🕒 Local time

19:14 7:14 PM

20:14 8:14 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

17,693

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Stafford, VA 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Stafford, VA

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 Stafford, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,568 in Stafford, VA – Stafford, VA comes out roughly 15% 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 $3,852 in Stafford, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stafford, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,767 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $107 in Stafford, VA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,568 in Stafford, VA. 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 $2,568 in Stafford, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.