Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yelm, WA: $2,622 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Yelm, WA
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Yelm, WA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Yelm, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,622

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,622 in Yelm, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Yelm, WA $2,622

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,646 in Yelm, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Yelm, WA $3,646

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,669 in Yelm, WA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Yelm, WA $4,669

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

Both Chicago, IL and Yelm, WA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Yelm, WA by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.27 $20.27

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$65.1 $65.1

38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.69 $12.69

1.97%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.39 $5.39

3.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.91 $2.91

-9.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.66 $1.66

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.34 $6.34

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.03 $7.03

25.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.12 $1.12

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.63 $3.63

4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.06 $3.06

73.20%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.09 $5.09

-6.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$9.21 $9.21

51.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.62 $10.62

37.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.27 $13.27

41.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.29 $4.29

20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.22 $1.22

62.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.10 $4.10

-4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.95 $1.95

154.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.58 $1.58

74.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.51 $1.51

82.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.84 $0.84

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.56 $0.56

432.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.15 $12.15

15.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.80 $14.80

3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.27 $2.27

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.35 $2.35

48.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.18 $2.18

13.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.02 $2.02

65.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.82 $1.82

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$14.76 $14.76

64.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.30 $1.30

-3.08%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

23.02%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.91%

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

$193 $193

$159 $159

20.90%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$70.4 $70.4

-3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$94.9 $94.9

-35.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$38.85 $38.85

39.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$9.52 $9.52

86.34%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,455 $1,455

13.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

-0.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$39.88 $39.88

65.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$29.45 $29.45

73.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$88.3 $88.3

13.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$103 $103

37.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,486 $1,486

64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,454 $1,454

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,558 $2,558

84.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,129 $2,129

31.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,108 $3,108

32.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,162 $2,162

22.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$8,918 $8,918

-45.44%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Yelm, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Yelm, WA

$1.5K 55.5% 13.3% $224

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Yelm, WA

$319 12.2% 29% $130

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Yelm, WA

$329 12.6% 4.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Yelm, WA

$325 12.4% 0.8% $2.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Yelm, WA

$117 4.5% 27.4% $44

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Yelm, WA

$20 * 0.8% 79.1% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Yelm, WA

$58 2.2% 35.4% $32

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 $1,486 in Yelm, 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 83% higher in Yelm, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $65.0 in Yelm, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $319 – making Yelm, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Yelm, WA

🕒 Local time

11:27 11:27 AM

09:27 9:27 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,617

💱 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 Yelm, WA 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,622 in Yelm, WA – roughly 20% 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 $3,933 in Yelm, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $65.0 in Yelm, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Yelm, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,622, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Yelm, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,622 in Yelm, WA to $3,139 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 Yelm, 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.