Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waynesboro, VA: $2,536 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 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 Waynesboro, VA
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Waynesboro, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Waynesboro, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,536

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,536 in Waynesboro, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Waynesboro, VA $2,536

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,767 in Waynesboro, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Waynesboro, VA $3,767

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,998 in Waynesboro, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Waynesboro, VA $4,998

Chicago, IL costs about 20% more than Waynesboro, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Waynesboro, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Waynesboro, VA by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.17 $24.17

-14.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$100 $100

-10.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.81 $10.81

22.02%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.74 $5.74

-1.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.11 $3.11

-15.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.45 $2.45

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.80 $7.80

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.06 $9.06

-2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.84 $0.84

48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.02 $3.02

23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.15 $2.15

150.70%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.14 $2.14

121.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.13 $10.13

36.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.58 $8.58

67.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$9.58 $9.58

91.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.92 $3.92

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.17 $1.17

69.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.24 $2.24

81.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.13 $4.13

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.00 $2.00

33.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.35 $2.35

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.05 $2.05

9.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.69 $1.69

85.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$7.78 $7.78

77.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.34 $14.34

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.61 $2.61

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.10 $2.10

67.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.0 $61.0

20.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.07 $4.07

-21.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.21 $1.21

14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.84 $24.84

0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.6K $29.6K

18.31%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

10.62%

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

$194 $194

$162 $162

19.99%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.5 $51.5

34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$62.9 $62.9

-1.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.62 $39.62

20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.84 $10.84

64.30%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,850 $1,850

-3.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-10.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.4 $55.4

21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$62.1 $62.1

-16.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$104 $104

-2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$160 $160

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,531 $1,531

64.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,275 $1,275

23.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,499 $2,499

89.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,076 $2,076

29.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,956 $2,956

41.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,482 $2,482

11.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,299 $4,299

14.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.79

0.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Waynesboro, VA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Waynesboro, VA

$1.3K 50.3% 19.2% $303

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Waynesboro, VA

$299 11.8% 33.2% $148

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Waynesboro, VA

$374 14.8% 8.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Waynesboro, VA

$276 10.9% 15.1% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Waynesboro, VA

$172 6.8% 4.6% $7.6

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Waynesboro, VA

$79 3.1% 15.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Waynesboro, VA

$61 2.4% 26.6% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,531 in Waynesboro, 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 15% 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 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in Waynesboro, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $299 in Waynesboro, VA – so Waynesboro, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waynesboro, VA

🕒 Local time

18:02 6:02 PM

19:02 7:02 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

22,327

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Waynesboro, VA 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,536 in Waynesboro, VA – Waynesboro, VA comes out roughly 16% 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 $3,804 in Waynesboro, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waynesboro, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,531 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Waynesboro, VA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,536 in Waynesboro, 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 $2,536 in Waynesboro, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Waynesboro, 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.