Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Manassas, VA and in Chicago, IL: $3,027 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Manassas, VA
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Manassas, VA Living Index
147

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

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Manassas, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,027

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,027 per month in Manassas, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Manassas, VA $3,027
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,411 per month in Manassas, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Manassas, VA $4,411
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,795 per month in Manassas, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Manassas, VA $5,795
Chicago, IL $5,999

Manassas, VA and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Manassas, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Manassas, VA by 122%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 $25.16

$20.71 $20.71

21.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.2 $88.2

$89.2 $89.2

-1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$13.19 $13.19

-8.19%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.66 $5.66

16.96%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$2.64 $2.64

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.87 $6.87

-6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.44 $8.44

$8.84 $8.84

-4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.72 $3.72

5.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$5.39 $5.39

30.24%

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

$4.74 $4.74

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 $10.63

$13.84 $13.84

-23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$14.40 $14.40

0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.53 $20.53

$18.38 $18.38

11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$7.75 $7.75

$5.22 $5.22

48.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.98 $1.98

13.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.07 $8.07

$4.06 $4.06

98.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.90 $6.90

$4.97 $4.97

38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$2.67 $2.67

108.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.66 $2.66

49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.24 $2.24

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.13 $3.13

-30.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.76 $9.76

$13.82 $13.82

-29.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 $14.12

$14.88 $14.88

-5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.54 $2.54

-16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.51 $3.51

9.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.43 $2.43

109.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 $102

$73.5 $73.5

38.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.18 $3.18

-4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.39 $1.39

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.33 $20.33

$25.03 $25.03

-18.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.20 $1.20

-14.17%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.39%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.64%

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

$213 $213

$194 $194

9.62%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$69.5 $69.5

-24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$61.6 $61.6

-2.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 $43.93

$47.90 $47.90

-8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.38 $20.38

$27.34 $27.34

-25.46%

Cinema Ticket

$18.26 $18.26

$17.81 $17.81

2.53%

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

$1,921 $1,921

$1,794 $1,794

7.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-63.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.04 $48.04

$67.0 $67.0

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.88 $47.88

$52.1 $52.1

-8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$144 $144

-25.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 $1,840

$2,526 $2,526

-27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 $1,479

$1,578 $1,578

-6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 $2,869

$4,738 $4,738

-39.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$2,693 $2,693

-14.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$4,190 $4,190

-35.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$2,768 $2,768

-9.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,892 $4,892

$4,931 $4,931

-0.78%

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 Manassas, VA: 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

Manassas, VA

$1.5K 48.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 6.7% $99

Groceries & Markets

Manassas, VA

$487 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.2% $40

Eating Out

Manassas, VA

$385 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.4% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manassas, VA

$326 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.1% $0.4

Clothing & Footwear

Manassas, VA

$137 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 19.6% $27

Getting Around

Manassas, VA

$133 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 29.7% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Manassas, VA

$80 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 3.8% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,840 in Manassas, VA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Manassas, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $487 in Manassas, VA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Manassas, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:42 11:42 AM

10:42 10:42 AM

1 h behind Manassas, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

42,772

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manassas, VA Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Manassas, VA
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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,541 per month in Manassas, VA 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 Manassas, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,840 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,921 per month in Manassas, VA and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,027 in Manassas, VA 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 $3,027 in Manassas, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.