Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wenatchee, WA: $2,545 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Wenatchee, WA
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Wenatchee, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Wenatchee, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,545

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,545 in Wenatchee, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Wenatchee, WA $2,545

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,651 in Wenatchee, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Wenatchee, WA $3,651

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,756 in Wenatchee, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Wenatchee, WA $4,756

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Wenatchee, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Wenatchee, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Wenatchee, WA by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$24.70 $24.70

-16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$80.5 $80.5

12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.01 $12.01

7.74%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.69 $5.69

-1.58%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.35 $2.35

12.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.94 $6.94

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.95 $6.95

27.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.10 $1.10

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.69 $2.69

41.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.86 $2.86

85.31%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.67 $4.67

1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.87 $11.87

17.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.09 $8.09

80.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.04 $18.04

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.83 $3.83

35.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.70 $1.70

16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.45 $3.45

13.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.66 $4.66

6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.92 $1.92

43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.92 $2.92

-5.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.74 $1.74

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.07 $1.07

178.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$7.96 $7.96

76.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.86 $14.86

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.68 $1.68

53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.16 $2.16

62.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.63 $2.63

27.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.66 $1.66

-13.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.41 $29.41

-17.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.19 $1.19

5.88%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.63%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$22.2K $22.2K

17.30%

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

$193 $193

$130 $130

47.91%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$58.8 $58.8

16.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$70.5 $70.5

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$33.21 $33.21

62.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$20.21 $20.21

38.15%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.06 $14.06

26.17%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,071 $1,071

54.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$10.1K $10.1K

207.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$48.50 $48.50

36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$45.10 $45.10

13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$68.5 $68.5

46.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$71.5 $71.5

97.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,404 $1,404

74.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,401 $1,401

19.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,059 $2,059

129.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,098 $2,098

33.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,446 $3,446

19.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,469 $3,469

-23.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,777 $3,777

28.82%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Wenatchee, WA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Wenatchee, WA

$1.4K 55% 16.5% $277

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Wenatchee, WA

$338 13.3% 24.7% $111

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Wenatchee, WA

$369 14.5% 7.4% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Wenatchee, WA

$260 10.2% 19.5% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Wenatchee, WA

$105 4.1% 34.8% $56

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Wenatchee, WA

$11 * 0.4% 88.5% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Wenatchee, WA

$61 2.4% 31.6% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,404 in Wenatchee, 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 29% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Chicago, IL versus $80 in Wenatchee, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $338 – making Wenatchee, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Wenatchee, WA

🕒 Local time

16:54 4:54 PM

14:54 2:54 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

35,508

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Wenatchee, WA 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Wenatchee, WA

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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 Wenatchee, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,545 in Wenatchee, WA – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,817 in Wenatchee, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wenatchee, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,404 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Wenatchee, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,545 in Wenatchee, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Wenatchee, WA – 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 Wenatchee, 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.