Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Vernon, WA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Vernon, WA: $2,824 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Mount Vernon, WA
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Mount Vernon, WA Living Index
152

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

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Mount Vernon, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,824

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mount Vernon, WA $2,824
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,983 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mount Vernon, WA $3,983
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,142 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Mount Vernon, WA $5,142
Chicago, IL $6,115

Mount Vernon, WA is about 10% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mount Vernon, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Mount Vernon, WA by 108%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.45 $22.45

$20.65 $20.65

8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$90.2 $90.2

-33.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$12.94 $12.94

2.47%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$5.60 $5.60

9.11%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.64 $2.64

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.27 $2.27

-28.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$6.98 $6.98

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.69 $9.69

$8.83 $8.83

9.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.27 $1.27

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.80 $3.80

6.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$5.30 $5.30

-45.85%

Eggs

$5.59 $5.59

$4.76 $4.76

17.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$13.96 $13.96

-21.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$14.61 $14.61

-54.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$18.77 $18.77

-55.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$5.19 $5.19

8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.98 $1.98

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.93 $3.93

36.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.96 $4.96

-9.88%

Potato (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.76 $2.76

77.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.76 $2.76

-30.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.22 $2.22

-9.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.98 $2.98

-31.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 $5.83

$14.02 $14.02

-58.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.66 $19.66

$15.28 $15.28

28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.58 $2.58

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.50 $3.50

-27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.07 $30.07

$74.8 $74.8

-59.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.26 $1.26

-7.94%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.20%

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

$19.3K $19.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

-25.95%

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

$156 $156

$193 $193

-19.06%

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

$44.58 $44.58

$68.3 $68.3

-34.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$61.3 $61.3

5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 $69.6

$54.1 $54.1

28.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.40 $13.40

$17.74 $17.74

-24.46%

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

$1,931 $1,931

$1,652 $1,652

16.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$48.3K $48.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

55.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$66.1 $66.1

-39.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 $30.34

$51.2 $51.2

-40.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$100 $100

-21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 $80.3

$141 $141

-43.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 $1,525

$2,446 $2,446

-37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$1,678 $1,678

-4.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 $2,476

$4,717 $4,717

-47.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,484 $2,484

$2,795 $2,795

-11.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,038 $4,038

$4,105 $4,105

-1.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,996 $3,996

$2,650 $2,650

50.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,853 $3,853

$4,866 $4,866

-20.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.81

-5.73%

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

Last update for Mount Vernon, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mount Vernon, WA

$1.6K 56.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 4.9% $78

Groceries & Markets

Mount Vernon, WA

$367 13%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 22.3% $82

Eating Out

Mount Vernon, WA

$362 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 5.1% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mount Vernon, WA

$265 9.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 21.5% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Mount Vernon, WA

$103 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 56.1% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Mount Vernon, WA

$96 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 7% $6.8

Getting Around

Mount Vernon, WA

$30 * 1.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 216% $65

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,525 in Mount Vernon, 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.

Salaries run about 26% 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 $60.0 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $449 – making Mount Vernon, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mount Vernon, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:24 7:24 AM

09:24 9:24 AM

2 h ahead of Mount Vernon, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,893

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Mount Vernon, WA Chicago, IL 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Mount Vernon, WA
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,824 in Mount Vernon, WA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,236 per month in Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Mount Vernon, WA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,824 in Mount Vernon, WA and $3,139 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 $2,824 in Mount Vernon, WA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mount Vernon, 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.