Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Poulsbo, WA: $2,920 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

142

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

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

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Poulsbo, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,920

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,920 per month in Poulsbo, WA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Poulsbo, WA $2,920
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $2,800 per month in Poulsbo, WA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Poulsbo, WA $2,800
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $2,679 per month in Poulsbo, WA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Poulsbo, WA $2,679
Chicago, IL $6,077

Poulsbo, WA is about 8% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Poulsbo, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Poulsbo, WA by 116%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.16 $21.16

$21.58 $21.58

-1.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 $53.3

$88.7 $88.7

-39.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 $7.85

$13.20 $13.20

-40.53%

Cappuccino

$4.31 $4.31

$5.59 $5.59

-22.90%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$2.63 $2.63

-15.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.26 $2.26

-37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 $4.04

$7.11 $7.11

-43.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.77 $11.77

$9.23 $9.23

27.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.28 $1.28

-14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.84 $3.84

-30.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$5.07 $5.07

-43.59%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$4.84 $4.84

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$14.17 $14.17

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$14.61 $14.61

-3.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$18.76 $18.76

-29.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.19 $5.19

4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.00 $2.00

34.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$4.00 $4.00

32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.98 $4.98

-11.65%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.79 $2.79

44.09%

Onion (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.65 $2.65

98.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.13 $2.13

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.09 $3.09

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 $11.97

$16.05 $16.05

-25.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$15.20 $15.20

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.62 $2.62

-18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.46 $3.46

3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.24 $1.24

16.13%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.23%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.15%

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

$152 $152

$192 $192

-20.82%

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

$53.9 $53.9

$67.8 $67.8

-20.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$60.9 $60.9

7.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 $59.8

$53.6 $53.6

11.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$20.05 $20.05

$17.80 $17.80

12.64%

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

$1,105 $1,105

$1,554 $1,554

-28.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$48.6K $48.6K

$31.4K $31.4K

54.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$67.9 $67.9

-25.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.58 $29.58

$50.8 $50.8

-41.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$101 $101

-3.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$143 $143

-29.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 $2,057

$2,383 $2,383

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 $1,697

$1,712 $1,712

-0.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.77

-4.87%

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

Last update for Poulsbo, WA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Poulsbo, WA

$1.7K 58.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 0.9% $15

Groceries & Markets

Poulsbo, WA

$416 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 8.6% $36

Eating Out

Poulsbo, WA

$303 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 16.5% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Poulsbo, WA

$271 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 18.2% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Poulsbo, WA

$126 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 29.9% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Poulsbo, WA

$100 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 10.7% $11

Getting Around

Poulsbo, WA

$8.1 * 0.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 1077% $87

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,057 in Poulsbo, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Poulsbo, WA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $451 – making Poulsbo, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Poulsbo, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:34 5:34 AM

07:34 7:34 AM

2 h ahead of Poulsbo, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,975

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

Poulsbo, WA Chicago, IL 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Poulsbo, WA
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,920 in Poulsbo, WA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 9% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,381 per month in Poulsbo, 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 Poulsbo, 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 $53.0 in Poulsbo, 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 9% 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 $2,920 in Poulsbo, WA and $3,185 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 $2,920 in Poulsbo, WA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Poulsbo, 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.