Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yorktown, VA: $2,493 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 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 Yorktown, VA
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Yorktown, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Yorktown, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,493

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,493 in Yorktown, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Yorktown, VA $2,493

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,696 in Yorktown, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Yorktown, VA $3,696

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,899 in Yorktown, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Yorktown, VA $4,899

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Yorktown, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Yorktown, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Yorktown, VA by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.99 $18.99

9.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.1 $59.1

50.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$5.99 $5.99

120.20%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.53 $3.53

60.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.78 $2.78

-5.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.55 $2.55

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.88 $4.88

40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.91 $6.91

27.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.11 $1.11

12.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.11 $4.11

-9.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.16 $5.16

4.46%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.52 $5.52

-14.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.84 $18.84

-26.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.72 $14.72

-2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.32 $22.32

-17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.50 $5.50

-5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.25 $2.25

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.26 $4.26

-4.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.78 $4.78

3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.77 $2.77

-3.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.03 $4.03

-34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.38 $2.38

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.78 $3.78

-17.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.88 $9.88

39.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.15 $14.15

5.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.24 $2.24

13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.58 $4.58

-23.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.25 $2.25

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.4 $55.4

32.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.43 $1.43

-2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$22.71 $22.71

10.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

-1.69%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.65%

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

$194 $194

$96.0 $96.0

102.50%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$47.81 $47.81

45.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$62.0 $62.0

-0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.64 $34.64

38.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$18.34 $18.34

-2.89%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,889 $1,889

-5.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.5K $32.5K

-1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.7 $52.7

27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.2 $55.2

-5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$85.8 $85.8

18.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$106 $106

35.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,592 $1,592

58.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,241 $1,241

27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,683 $2,683

76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,063 $2,063

30.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,720 $2,720

54.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,582 $2,582

7.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.7

1.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Yorktown, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Yorktown, VA

$1.2K 49.8% 21.4% $337

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Yorktown, VA

$494 19.8% 10.4% $46

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Yorktown, VA

$272 10.9% 21.2% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Yorktown, VA

$206 8.3% 36.8% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Yorktown, VA

$135 5.4% 17.8% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Yorktown, VA

$75 3% 20.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Yorktown, VA

$71 2.9% 14.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,592 in Yorktown, VA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $59 in Yorktown, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $494 in Yorktown, VA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Yorktown, VA

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

17:21 5:21 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

195

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Yorktown, VA 1,080 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,493 in Yorktown, VA – Yorktown, VA comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,739 in Yorktown, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yorktown, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,592 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Yorktown, VA. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,493 in Yorktown, 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 $2,493 in Yorktown, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.