Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ellensburg, WA: $2,404 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Ellensburg, WA
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Ellensburg, WA Living Index
147

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

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Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,404

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ellensburg, WA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ellensburg, WA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,404 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $2,404
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,555 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $3,555
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,705 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $4,705
Chicago, IL $5,999

Ellensburg, WA is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ellensburg, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Ellensburg, WA by 77%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$20.71 $20.71

-26.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$89.2 $89.2

-15.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$13.19 $13.19

-8.04%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$5.66 $5.66

-10.95%

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

$1.54 $1.54

$2.64 $2.64

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.28 $2.28

-44.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.87 $6.87

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$8.84 $8.84

-31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.25 $1.25

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.72 $3.72

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.39 $5.39

-12.62%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$4.74 $4.74

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$13.84 $13.84

11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$14.40 $14.40

-53.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$18.38 $18.38

-26.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.22 $5.22

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.98 $1.98

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.06 $4.06

5.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.97 $4.97

-20.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.67 $2.67

-43.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.66 $2.66

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.24 $2.24

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.13 $3.13

-38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$13.82 $13.82

-28.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 $13.99

$14.88 $14.88

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.54 $2.54

-26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.51 $3.51

39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 $57.6

$73.5 $73.5

-21.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.18 $3.18

60.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.39 $1.39

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.42 $39.42

$25.03 $25.03

57.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.30%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

2.30%

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

$149 $149

$194 $194

-23.27%

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

$39.60 $39.60

$69.5 $69.5

-42.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$61.6 $61.6

15.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.90 $40.90

$47.90 $47.90

-14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.93 $15.93

$17.81 $17.81

-10.56%

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

$1,356 $1,356

$1,794 $1,794

-24.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-32.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.48 $34.48

$67.0 $67.0

-48.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.61 $34.61

$52.1 $52.1

-33.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$102 $102

7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.10 $40.10

$144 $144

-72.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$2,526 $2,526

-36.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$1,578 $1,578

-19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,509 $2,509

$4,738 $4,738

-47.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$2,693 $2,693

-19.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,531 $4,531

$4,190 $4,190

8.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 $4,418

$2,768 $2,768

59.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 $1,785

$4,931 $4,931

-63.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.81

-4.55%

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

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ellensburg, WA

$1.3K 53.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.6% $301

Groceries & Markets

Ellensburg, WA

$349 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 28.1% $98

Eating Out

Ellensburg, WA

$267 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 29.3% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ellensburg, WA

$260 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 25.2% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Ellensburg, WA

$98 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 66.8% $66

Getting Around

Ellensburg, WA

$80 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 17.3% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Ellensburg, WA

$73 3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 14.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Ellensburg, WA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $447 – making Ellensburg, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:20 1:20 AM

03:20 3:20 AM

2 h ahead of Ellensburg, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,666

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ellensburg, WA Chicago, IL 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ellensburg, WA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Ellensburg, WA comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,605 per month in Ellensburg, WA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ellensburg, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,614 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Ellensburg, WA and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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 $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ellensburg, 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 Ellensburg, WA. 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.