Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Vancouver, WA: $2,823 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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
138

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver, WA
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Vancouver, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Vancouver, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,823

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,823 in Vancouver, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Vancouver, WA $2,823

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,997 in Vancouver, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Vancouver, WA $3,997

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,171 in Vancouver, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Vancouver, WA $5,171

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Vancouver, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Vancouver, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Vancouver, WA by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$22.20 $22.20

-2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$92.9 $92.9

-4.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$13.04 $13.04

1.23%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.85 $5.85

-4.44%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.04 $3.04

-13.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.89 $1.89

19.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.51 $6.51

9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$7.83 $7.83

17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.23 $4.23

-9.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.39 $4.39

15.49%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.24 $4.24

14.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$12.02 $12.02

17.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.52 $10.52

38.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$16.79 $16.79

11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.14 $4.14

25.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.41 $1.41

41.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.79 $2.79

43.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.58 $2.58

93.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.11 $2.11

32.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.78 $1.78

48.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.08 $2.08

2.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.80 $1.80

71.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$12.14 $12.14

32.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$11.05 $11.05

37.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.13 $2.13

23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.54 $4.54

-23.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.53 $2.53

-2.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$91.2 $91.2

-17.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.45 $4.45

-27.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.76 $0.76

82.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$24.16 $24.16

3.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.45 $1.45

-14.48%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$37.0K $37.0K

0.63%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

2.34%

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

$192 $192

$201 $201

-4.17%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$72.4 $72.4

-6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$63.2 $63.2

-3.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$41.25 $41.25

29.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$25.96 $25.96

7.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$15.19 $15.19

17.18%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,387 $1,387

12.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$12.9K $12.9K

143.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$40.99 $40.99

65.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$30.02 $30.02

69.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$86.5 $86.5

17.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$85.3 $85.3

68.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,809 $1,809

31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,481 $1,481

15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,365 $2,365

97.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,117 $2,117

29.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$3,409 $3,409

21.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$3,378 $3,378

-20.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$4,492 $4,492

8.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.69

1.20%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Vancouver, WA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Vancouver, WA

$1.5K 52.4% 13.5% $231

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Vancouver, WA

$361 12.8% 19.9% $90

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Vancouver, WA

$355 12.6% 0.6% $2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Vancouver, WA

$336 11.9% 4.7% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Vancouver, WA

$109 3.9% 33.2% $54

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Vancouver, WA

$110 3.9% 15.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Vancouver, WA

$72 2.5% 19.7% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,809 in Vancouver, 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 9% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $93.0 in Vancouver, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Chicago, IL vs $361 in Vancouver, WA – so Vancouver, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Vancouver, WA

🕒 Local time

02:22 2:22 AM

00:22 12:22 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

190,915

💱 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 Vancouver, WA 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,823 in Vancouver, WA – roughly 13% 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 $4,235 in Vancouver, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chicago, IL, 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 $93.0 in Vancouver, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $2,823 in Vancouver, 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 $2,823 in Vancouver, WA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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