Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Tacoma, WA: $3,037 and $3,008 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Tacoma, WA
Learn more

Tacoma, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,008

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,008 in Tacoma, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Tacoma, WA $3,008

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,371 in Tacoma, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Tacoma, WA $4,371

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,735 in Tacoma, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Tacoma, WA $5,735

Chicago, IL and Tacoma, WA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Tacoma, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Tacoma, WA by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.28 $25.28

-18.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.9 $80.9

10.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.14 $12.14

8.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.61 $5.61

0.89%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.10 $3.10

-14.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.64 $2.64

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.94 $6.94

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.92 $6.92

27.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.20 $4.20

-11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.83 $5.83

-7.55%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.69 $5.69

-16.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.85 $15.85

-12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.91 $15.91

-9.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$23.45 $23.45

-21.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.99 $4.99

4.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.74 $1.74

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.32 $4.32

-6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.52 $4.52

9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.69 $2.69

-0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.93 $2.93

-9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.73 $1.73

29.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.26 $3.26

-3.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.05 $12.05

14.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.35 $18.35

-18.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.77 $1.77

43.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.99 $4.99

-29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.02 $2.02

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$62.6 $62.6

17.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.55 $2.55

24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.69 $1.69

-17.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.77 $29.77

-15.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.32 $1.32

-9.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.09%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.73%

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

$194 $194

$230 $230

-15.64%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$91.1 $91.1

-23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$86.7 $86.7

-28.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.12 $36.12

32.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$18.09 $18.09

51.13%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.97 $13.97

27.49%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,085 $2,085

-13.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.6K $32.6K

-1.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.9 $61.9

8.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.73 $44.73

16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.3 $86.3

17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$130 $130

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,735 $1,735

45.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,444 $1,444

9.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,699 $2,699

75.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,309 $2,309

16.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,794 $4,794

-12.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,251 $3,251

-14.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,927 $4,927

0.07%

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 Tacoma, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Tacoma, WA

$1.4K 48% 8.5% $134

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Tacoma, WA

$487 16.2% 9% $40

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Tacoma, WA

$378 12.6% 9.4% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Tacoma, WA

$408 13.6% 25.4% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Tacoma, WA

$145 4.8% 11.5% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Tacoma, WA

$82 2.7% 12.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Tacoma, WA

$64 2.1% 23.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,735 in Tacoma, 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 $81 in Tacoma, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $487 in Tacoma, WA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

04:47 4:47 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

219,346

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Tacoma, WA 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,512 in Tacoma, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tacoma, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,735 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in Tacoma, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Tacoma, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,008 in Tacoma, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tacoma, WA costs $3,008 versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.