Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Kent, WA and in Chicago, IL: $3,315 and $3,185 a month, rent and utilities included.

160

Cost of Living Index in Kent, WA
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Kent, WA Living Index
153

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

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Kent, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,315

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,315 per month in Kent, WA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kent, WA $3,315
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,993 per month in Kent, WA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kent, WA $4,993
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,670 per month in Kent, WA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kent, WA $6,670
Chicago, IL $6,077

Kent, WA costs about 4% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Kent, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kent, WA by 146%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$21.58 $21.58

-8.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 $80.6

$88.7 $88.7

-9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$13.20 $13.20

4.39%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$5.59 $5.59

-14.85%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$2.63 $2.63

6.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.26 $2.26

-7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$7.11 $7.11

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$9.23 $9.23

-15.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.28 $1.28

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.84 $3.84

30.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.07 $5.07

-34.71%

Eggs

$6.65 $6.65

$4.84 $4.84

37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 $15.02

$14.17 $14.17

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$14.61 $14.61

-3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.82 $22.82

$18.76 $18.76

21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$5.19 $5.19

14.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.00 $2.00

-6.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.00 $4.00

-2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.98 $4.98

-15.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.79 $2.79

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.65 $2.65

2.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.13 $2.13

-27.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.09 $3.09

-22.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.35 $12.35

$16.05 $16.05

-23.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$15.20 $15.20

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.62 $2.62

-20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.46 $3.46

-43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.47 $2.47

22.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 $62.0

$75.1 $75.1

-17.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.21 $3.21

-18.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.39 $1.39

17.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$25.02 $25.02

21.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.24 $1.24

17.74%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.99%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.01%

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

$300 $300

$192 $192

56.01%

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

$62.8 $62.8

$67.8 $67.8

-7.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.5 $84.5

$60.9 $60.9

38.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.42 $33.42

$53.6 $53.6

-37.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 $17.01

$27.90 $27.90

-39.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

$17.80 $17.80

-2.64%

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

$2,667 $2,667

$1,554 $1,554

71.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.9K $30.9K

$31.4K $31.4K

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.50 $39.50

$67.9 $67.9

-41.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 $54.6

$50.8 $50.8

7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 $91.0

$101 $101

-10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.76 $40.76

$143 $143

-71.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 $2,075

$2,383 $2,383

-12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$1,712 $1,712

6.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,023 $4,023

$4,674 $4,674

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,479 $3,479

$2,738 $2,738

27.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,972 $5,972

$4,158 $4,158

43.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,988 $3,988

$2,691 $2,691

48.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,592 $4,592

$4,894 $4,894

-6.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.77

-0.15%

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

Last update for Kent, WA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kent, WA

$1.8K 55.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 6.4% $116

Groceries & Markets

Kent, WA

$459 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 1.7% $7.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kent, WA

$447 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 28.2% $126

Eating Out

Kent, WA

$326 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 8.4% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Kent, WA

$102 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 60.8% $62

Getting Around

Kent, WA

$85 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 11.9% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Kent, WA

$68 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 31% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,075 in Kent, WA versus $2,383 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 7% 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 $81.0 in Kent, WA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $459 in Kent, WA vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kent, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:42 4:42 PM

18:42 6:42 PM

2 h ahead of Kent, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,588

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Kent, WA Chicago, IL 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Kent, WA
Chicago, IL

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,315 in Kent, WA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 4% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,972 per month in Kent, WA and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Kent, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Kent, WA and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,315 in Kent, WA and $3,185 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,315 in Kent, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kent, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.