Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Virginia Beach, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Virginia Beach, VA: $2,871 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Virginia Beach, VA
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Virginia Beach, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Virginia Beach, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,871

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Virginia Beach, VA $2,871

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,064 in Virginia Beach, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Virginia Beach, VA $4,064

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,257 in Virginia Beach, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Virginia Beach, VA $5,257

Chicago, IL costs about 6% more than Virginia Beach, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Virginia Beach, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Virginia Beach, VA by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.35 $18.35

12.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$90.9 $90.9

-1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.22 $12.22

7.94%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.00 $6.00

-5.67%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.81 $2.81

-6.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.16 $2.16

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.02 $6.02

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.19 $7.19

22.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.08 $3.08

20.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.47 $5.47

-1.46%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.49 $10.49

31.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.62 $9.62

49.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.16 $18.16

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.52 $2.52

107.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.13 $5.13

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.77 $5.77

-13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.28 $2.28

17.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.51 $4.51

-41.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.78 $1.78

25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.37 $2.37

32.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.57 $9.57

44.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.18 $12.18

22.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.20 $2.20

59.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$70.8 $70.8

3.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.56 $4.56

-30.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.32 $1.32

5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$19.82 $19.82

26.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

29.07%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.44%

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

$194 $194

$208 $208

-6.34%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.8 $59.8

16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.9 $66.9

-7.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$25.57 $25.57

87.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$35.66 $35.66

-23.33%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.49 $9.49

87.67%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,620 $1,620

10.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.1K $16.1K

97.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.8 $61.8

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.94 $47.94

8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$117 $117

-13.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$114 $114

26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,966 $1,966

28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,553 $1,553

1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,867 $2,867

65.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,246 $2,246

19.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,706 $2,706

54.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,334 $2,334

18.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,353 $4,353

13.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Virginia Beach, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Virginia Beach, VA

$1.6K 54.1% 1.6% $25

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Virginia Beach, VA

$377 13.1% 15.8% $71

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Virginia Beach, VA

$320 11.1% 7.3% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Virginia Beach, VA

$334 11.6% 2.7% $8.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Virginia Beach, VA

$153 5.3% 6.5% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Virginia Beach, VA

$90 3.1% 3.5% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Virginia Beach, VA

$45 1.6% 46.6% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,966 in Virginia Beach, 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 13% 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 $91 in Virginia Beach, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $377 in Virginia Beach, VA – so Virginia Beach, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Virginia Beach, VA

🕒 Local time

16:46 4:46 PM

17:46 5:46 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

459,470

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Virginia Beach, VA 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Virginia Beach, 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 Virginia Beach, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA – Virginia Beach, VA comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,307 in Virginia Beach, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Virginia Beach, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,966 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Virginia Beach, VA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Virginia Beach, VA – 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 Virginia Beach, VA. 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.