Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Federal Way, WA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,292 in Federal Way, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Federal Way, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

160

Cost of Living Index in Federal Way, WA
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Federal Way, WA Living Index
147

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

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Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,292

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,292 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $3,292
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,328 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $4,328
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $5,364
Chicago, IL $5,999

Federal Way, WA costs about 8% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Federal Way, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Federal Way, WA by 142%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$20.71 $20.71

22.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$89.2 $89.2

-15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 $12.64

$13.19 $13.19

-4.17%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$5.66 $5.66

2.30%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$2.64 $2.64

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.28 $2.28

-27.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$6.87 $6.87

4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.84 $8.84

-19.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.25 $1.25

-11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.72 $3.72

9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.39 $5.39

-41.19%

Eggs

$5.25 $5.25

$4.74 $4.74

10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.13 $16.13

$13.84 $13.84

16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.70 $10.70

$14.40 $14.40

-25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$18.38 $18.38

4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.22 $5.22

-3.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.98 $1.98

-20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.06 $4.06

2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.97 $4.97

-6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.67 $2.67

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.66 $2.66

-7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.24 $2.24

2.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$3.13 $3.13

-20.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.41 $12.41

$13.82 $13.82

-10.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$14.88 $14.88

2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.54 $2.54

-29.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.51 $3.51

39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.43 $2.43

7.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.18 $3.18

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.39 $1.39

23.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.95 $29.95

$25.03 $25.03

19.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.20 $1.20

9.17%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.83%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.82%

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

$158 $158

$194 $194

-18.63%

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

$77.5 $77.5

$69.5 $69.5

11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.1 $87.1

$61.6 $61.6

41.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.02 $13.02

$47.90 $47.90

-72.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 $11.91

$17.81 $17.81

-33.13%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$1,794 $1,794

-20.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 $45.30

$67.0 $67.0

-32.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 $44.29

$52.1 $52.1

-15.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 $84.7

$102 $102

-16.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$144 $144

-29.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 $2,006

$2,526 $2,526

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 $1,987

$1,578 $1,578

25.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$4,738 $4,738

-41.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 $2,448

$2,693 $2,693

-9.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 $4,459

$4,931 $4,931

-9.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.81

-2.50%

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

Last update for Federal Way, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Federal Way, WA

$2K 60.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 20.6% $409

Groceries & Markets

Federal Way, WA

$420 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 6.5% $27

Eating Out

Federal Way, WA

$379 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.1% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Federal Way, WA

$323 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.8% $2.7

Clothing & Footwear

Federal Way, WA

$124 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 32.5% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Federal Way, WA

$37 1.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 127% $47

Getting Around

Federal Way, WA

$22 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 333% $72

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,006 in Federal Way, 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 run about 11% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $76 in Federal Way, WA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $447 – making Federal Way, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

11:03 11:03 AM

2 h ahead of Federal Way, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

101,030

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Federal Way, WA Chicago, IL 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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Federal Way, WA
Chicago, IL

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,292 in Federal Way, WA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,938 per month in Federal Way, 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 Federal Way, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,006 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Federal Way, WA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Federal Way, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,292 in Federal Way, WA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,292 in Federal Way, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.