Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and The Dalles, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in The Dalles, OR: $2,414 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 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
122

Cost of Living Index in The Dalles, OR
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The Dalles, OR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

The Dalles, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in The Dalles, OR

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 The Dalles, OR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,414 in The Dalles, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
The Dalles, OR $2,414

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,667 in The Dalles, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
The Dalles, OR $3,667

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,921 in The Dalles, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
The Dalles, OR $4,921

Chicago, IL costs about 26% more than The Dalles, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and The Dalles, OR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, The Dalles, OR by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.97 $19.97

3.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$93.8 $93.8

-4.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.14 $12.14

8.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.48 $4.48

26.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.42 $2.42

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.12 $2.12

7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.87 $4.87

41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.11 $7.11

24.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.09 $1.09

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.28 $3.28

13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.06 $4.06

32.76%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.96 $2.96

60.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.94 $14.94

-7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.07 $14.07

2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.07 $11.07

66.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.91 $3.91

3.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.00 $4.00

24.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.12 $3.12

-14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.33 $3.33

-20.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.79 $1.79

25.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.03 $2.03

54.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.28 $11.28

22.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.23 $15.23

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.69 $1.69

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.98 $2.98

17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.06 $2.06

17.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$59.2 $59.2

24.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.52 $3.52

-9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.21 $2.21

-37.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$49.16 $49.16

-49.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.23 $1.23

-2.44%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.2K $25.2K

38.98%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

8.83%

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

$194 $194

$188 $188

3.46%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.8 $59.8

16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.2 $71.2

-13.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.12 $40.12

19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.92 $11.92

49.41%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,012 $1,012

77.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.3K $16.3K

95.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.48 $40.48

65.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$34.67 $34.67

50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$60.1 $60.1

68.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$80.1 $80.1

79.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,565 $1,565

61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,163 $1,163

35.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,589 $2,589

83.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,067 $2,067

30.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,439 $2,439

71.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,112 $2,112

31.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,842 $3,842

28.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for The Dalles, OR: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

The Dalles, OR

$1.2K 48.2% 26.3% $415

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

The Dalles, OR

$382 15.8% 14.5% $65

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

The Dalles, OR

$307 12.7% 11.1% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

The Dalles, OR

$319 13.2% 2% $6.6

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

The Dalles, OR

$97 4% 40.9% $67

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

The Dalles, OR

$82 3.4% 12.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

The Dalles, OR

$64 2.7% 23.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,565 in The Dalles, OR. 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 Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $94 in The Dalles, OR. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $382 in The Dalles, OR – so The Dalles, OR wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 The Dalles, OR

🕒 Local time

15:36 3:36 PM

13:36 1:36 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

13,783

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL The Dalles, OR 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
The Dalles, OR

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 The Dalles, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,414 in The Dalles, OR – The Dalles, OR comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,621 in The Dalles, OR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in The Dalles, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,565 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $94 in The Dalles, OR. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in The Dalles, OR, where all-in costs run around $2,414, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In The Dalles, OR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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