Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maple Valley, WA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Maple Valley, WA: $2,785 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Maple Valley, WA
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Maple Valley, WA Living Index
152

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

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Maple Valley, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,785

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,785 per month in Maple Valley, WA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maple Valley, WA $2,785
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,112 per month in Maple Valley, WA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maple Valley, WA $4,112
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,439 per month in Maple Valley, WA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Maple Valley, WA $5,439
Chicago, IL $6,115

Maple Valley, WA is about 11% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Maple Valley, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Maple Valley, WA by 106%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 $17.24

$20.65 $20.65

-16.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$90.2 $90.2

-10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 $10.60

$12.94 $12.94

-18.08%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$5.60 $5.60

-15.54%

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

$1.02 $1.02

$2.64 $2.64

-61.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.27 $2.27

-5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$6.98 $6.98

-43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$8.83 $8.83

-21.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 $1.27

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.80 $3.80

-4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.30 $5.30

-24.15%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$4.76 $4.76

-18.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.89 $13.89

$13.96 $13.96

-0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$14.61 $14.61

-10.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.74 $29.74

$18.77 $18.77

58.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.19 $5.19

-1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.98 $1.98

-1.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.93 $3.93

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$4.96 $4.96

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.76 $2.76

-29.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.76 $2.76

-11.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.22 $2.22

27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.98 $2.98

-16.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.23 $12.23

$14.02 $14.02

-12.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 $16.05

$15.28 $15.28

5.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.58 $2.58

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.50 $3.50

20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.47 $2.47

-28.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.62 $47.62

$74.8 $74.8

-36.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.34 $3.34

-11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.43 $1.43

28.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.18 $28.18

$24.32 $24.32

15.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.26 $1.26

7.14%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.56%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.92%

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

$121 $121

$193 $193

-37.35%

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

$72.5 $72.5

$68.3 $68.3

6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 $88.7

$61.3 $61.3

44.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.17 $42.17

$54.1 $54.1

-22.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 $19.95

$27.92 $27.92

-28.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.90 $17.90

$17.74 $17.74

0.90%

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

$1,440 $1,440

$1,652 $1,652

-12.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.5K $33.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

7.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 $49.25

$66.1 $66.1

-25.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$51.2 $51.2

11.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$100 $100

3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$141 $141

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$2,446 $2,446

-34.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 $1,475

$1,678 $1,678

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 $2,544

$4,717 $4,717

-46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 $2,413

$2,795 $2,795

-13.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,817 $2,817

$4,105 $4,105

-31.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,032 $2,032

$2,650 $2,650

-23.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Maple Valley, WA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maple Valley, WA

$1.5K 52.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 13.8% $203

Groceries & Markets

Maple Valley, WA

$456 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 1.4% $6.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maple Valley, WA

$282 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 14.3% $40

Eating Out

Maple Valley, WA

$273 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 26% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Maple Valley, WA

$155 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 3.8% $5.9

Sport & Entertainment

Maple Valley, WA

$78 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 14.9% $12

Getting Around

Maple Valley, WA

$67 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 42.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Maple Valley, WA versus $2,446 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 $81 in Maple Valley, WA versus $90 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $456 in Maple Valley, WA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Maple Valley, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:04 2:04 PM

16:04 4:04 PM

2 h ahead of Maple Valley, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,013

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Maple Valley, WA Chicago, IL 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Maple Valley, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,785 in Maple Valley, WA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,178 per month in Maple Valley, WA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maple Valley, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,599 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Maple Valley, WA and $90 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Maple Valley, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Families tend to lean toward Maple Valley, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.