Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,776 in Redmond, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

183

Cost of Living Index in Redmond, WA
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Redmond, WA Living Index
147

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

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Redmond, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,776

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,776 per month in Redmond, WA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redmond, WA $3,776
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,219 per month in Redmond, WA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redmond, WA $5,219
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,662 per month in Redmond, WA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Redmond, WA $6,662
Chicago, IL $5,999

Redmond, WA costs about 24% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Redmond, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Redmond, WA by 177%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$20.71 $20.71

18.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$89.2 $89.2

-9.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$13.19 $13.19

-7.51%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.66 $5.66

-0.18%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$2.64 $2.64

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.28 $2.28

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$6.87 $6.87

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$8.84 $8.84

-22.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.25 $1.25

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.72 $3.72

36.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.39 $5.39

9.28%

Eggs

$5.60 $5.60

$4.74 $4.74

18.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.10 $16.10

$13.84 $13.84

16.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.74 $15.74

$14.40 $14.40

9.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.47 $23.47

$18.38 $18.38

27.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$5.22 $5.22

14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.98 $1.98

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.06 $4.06

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.97 $4.97

-5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.67 $2.67

-0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.66 $2.66

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.24 $2.24

-20.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.13 $3.13

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$13.82 $13.82

-10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.88 $14.88

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.54 $2.54

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.51 $3.51

40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.43 $2.43

25.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.7 $99.7

$73.5 $73.5

35.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.18 $3.18

-17.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.39 $1.39

24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.01 $30.01

$25.03 $25.03

19.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.20 $1.20

20.00%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.25%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.08%

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

$305 $305

$194 $194

56.75%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$69.5 $69.5

-9.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 $85.5

$61.6 $61.6

38.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 $59.5

$47.90 $47.90

24.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.28 $41.28

$27.34 $27.34

50.99%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 $17.87

$17.81 $17.81

0.34%

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

$2,697 $2,697

$1,794 $1,794

50.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-4.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 $68.5

$67.0 $67.0

2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$52.1 $52.1

6.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 $90.7

$102 $102

-10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$144 $144

-11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,526 $2,526

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 $2,082

$1,578 $1,578

31.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,162 $4,162

$4,738 $4,738

-12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,020 $3,020

$2,693 $2,693

12.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,289 $6,289

$4,190 $4,190

50.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,748 $5,748

$2,768 $2,768

107.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,391 $9,391

$4,931 $4,931

90.46%

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 Redmond, WA: 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

Redmond, WA

$2.1K 55.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 24.2% $504

Groceries & Markets

Redmond, WA

$495 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.6% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Redmond, WA

$453 12%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 28.2% $128

Eating Out

Redmond, WA

$373 9.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 7.5% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Redmond, WA

$154 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 6.6% $10

Getting Around

Redmond, WA

$123 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 24.2% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Redmond, WA

$95 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 12.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,613 in Redmond, WA 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.

Salaries run about 90% higher in Redmond, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Redmond, WA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $495 in Redmond, WA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Redmond, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:04 2:04 AM

04:04 4:04 AM

2 h ahead of Redmond, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,256

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Redmond, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,776 in Redmond, WA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,663 per month in Redmond, WA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,613 in Redmond, WA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Redmond, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Redmond, WA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,776 in Redmond, WA 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,776 in Redmond, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Redmond, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.