Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Olympia, WA: $2,983 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Olympia, WA
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Olympia, WA Living Index
152

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

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Olympia, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,983

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,983 per month in Olympia, WA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Olympia, WA $2,983
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,154 per month in Olympia, WA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Olympia, WA $4,154
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,325 per month in Olympia, WA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Olympia, WA $5,325
Chicago, IL $6,115

Olympia, WA is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Olympia, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Olympia, WA by 120%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.65 $20.65

18.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$90.2 $90.2

-27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.68 $12.68

$12.94 $12.94

-2.01%

Cappuccino

$6.42 $6.42

$5.60 $5.60

14.64%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$2.64 $2.64

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.27 $2.27

-25.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$6.98 $6.98

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$8.83 $8.83

-21.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.27 $1.27

-15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.80 $3.80

17.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$5.30 $5.30

-40.38%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$4.76 $4.76

5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.35 $18.35

$13.96 $13.96

31.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.41 $10.41

$14.61 $14.61

-28.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 $16.73

$18.77 $18.77

-10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$5.19 $5.19

0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.98 $1.98

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.93 $3.93

1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$4.96 $4.96

-7.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.76 $2.76

-5.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.76 $2.76

-10.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.22 $2.22

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.98 $2.98

-14.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.09 $12.09

$14.02 $14.02

-13.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$15.28 $15.28

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.58 $2.58

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.50 $3.50

-32.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.47 $2.47

-64.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.34 $3.34

50.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.43 $1.43

86.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 $51.7

$24.32 $24.32

112.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.26 $1.26

7.94%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.48%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.94%

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

$156 $156

$193 $193

-19.14%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$68.3 $68.3

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.4 $95.4

$61.3 $61.3

55.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 $69.1

$54.1 $54.1

27.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.06 $5.06

$27.92 $27.92

-81.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 $12.09

$17.74 $17.74

-31.85%

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

$1,454 $1,454

$1,652 $1,652

-11.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.13 $45.13

$66.1 $66.1

-31.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 $54.5

$51.2 $51.2

6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$100 $100

-8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$141 $141

-27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 $1,718

$2,446 $2,446

-29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 $1,618

$1,678 $1,678

-3.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,143 $3,143

$4,717 $4,717

-33.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,350 $2,350

$2,795 $2,795

-15.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,235 $3,235

$4,105 $4,105

-21.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,068 $3,068

$2,650 $2,650

15.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,106 $5,106

$4,866 $4,866

4.94%

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 Olympia, 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

Olympia, WA

$1.6K 54.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 3.7% $60

Groceries & Markets

Olympia, WA

$420 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 7.1% $30

Eating Out

Olympia, WA

$378 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9.1% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Olympia, WA

$321 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 0.5% $1.5

Clothing & Footwear

Olympia, WA

$132 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 22.2% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Olympia, WA

$93 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 3.9% $3.6

Getting Around

Olympia, WA

$22 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 336% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,718 in Olympia, 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 5% higher in Olympia, WA, 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 $65.0 in Olympia, WA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $449 – making Olympia, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Olympia, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:35 9:35 PM

23:35 11:35 PM

2 h ahead of Olympia, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

55,605

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

Olympia, WA Chicago, IL 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Olympia, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,983 in Olympia, WA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,475 per month in Olympia, 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 Olympia, 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 $65.0 in Olympia, WA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,983 in Olympia, 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 $2,983 in Olympia, WA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Olympia, 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.