Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Longview, WA: $2,508 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

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

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

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Longview, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,508

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Longview, WA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Longview, WA $2,508
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,511 per month in Longview, WA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Longview, WA $3,511
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,513 per month in Longview, WA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Longview, WA $4,513
Chicago, IL $6,077

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

Both Longview, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Longview, WA by 86%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.81 $21.81

$21.58 $21.58

1.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$88.7 $88.7

-43.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 $11.00

$13.20 $13.20

-16.67%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$5.59 $5.59

0.36%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.63 $2.63

7.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.26 $2.26

-25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 $6.58

$7.11 $7.11

-7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$9.23 $9.23

-25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.28 $1.28

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.84 $3.84

-12.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$5.07 $5.07

-38.66%

Eggs

$5.07 $5.07

$4.84 $4.84

4.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 $11.03

$14.17 $14.17

-22.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 $7.87

$14.61 $14.61

-46.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$18.76 $18.76

-18.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.19 $5.19

-22.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.00 $2.00

-18.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.00 $4.00

-14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.98 $4.98

-38.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.79 $2.79

-1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.65 $2.65

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.13 $2.13

-30.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$3.09 $3.09

-63.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.11 $9.11

$16.05 $16.05

-43.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$15.20 $15.20

-40.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.62 $2.62

-17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.46 $3.46

-43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.21 $3.21

57.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.39 $1.39

93.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 $52.1

$25.02 $25.02

108.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.24 $1.24

0.81%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.84%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

-7.06%

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

$155 $155

$192 $192

-19.33%

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

$69.3 $69.3

$67.8 $67.8

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$60.9 $60.9

26.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 $50.1

$53.6 $53.6

-6.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$17.80 $17.80

-31.57%

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

$793 $793

$1,554 $1,554

-49.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.19 $44.19

$67.9 $67.9

-34.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.72 $41.72

$50.8 $50.8

-17.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 $72.7

$101 $101

-28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 $81.7

$143 $143

-42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,383 $2,383

-44.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,712 $1,712

-21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 $2,030

$4,674 $4,674

-56.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 $2,027

$2,738 $2,738

-25.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,078 $3,078

$4,158 $4,158

-25.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,947 $2,947

$2,691 $2,691

9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,589 $4,589

$4,894 $4,894

-6.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

6.77

-4.43%

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

Last update for Longview, WA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Longview, WA

$1.3K 53.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 27.2% $366

Eating Out

Longview, WA

$340 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 3.9% $13

Groceries & Markets

Longview, WA

$320 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 41% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Longview, WA

$302 12%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 6.4% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Longview, WA

$108 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 51.2% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Longview, WA

$74 3%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 19.8% $15

Getting Around

Longview, WA

$18 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 414% $77

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,316 in Longview, 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 partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Longview, WA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $451 – making Longview, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Longview, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:19 12:19 AM

02:19 2:19 AM

2 h ahead of Longview, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

81,638

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

Longview, WA Chicago, IL 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Longview, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,508 in Longview, WA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Longview, 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 Longview, 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 $51.0 in Longview, WA and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longview, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,508, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Longview, 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 $2,508 in Longview, WA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Longview, 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.