Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reston, VA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,210 in Reston, VA, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Reston, VA despite lower rent and utilities.

156

Cost of Living Index in Reston, VA
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Reston, VA Living Index
147

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

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Reston, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,210

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,210 per month in Reston, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Reston, VA $3,210
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $5,151 per month in Reston, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Reston, VA $5,151
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $7,092 per month in Reston, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Reston, VA $7,092
Chicago, IL $5,999

Reston, VA costs about 6% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Reston, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Reston, VA by 136%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.67 $24.67

$20.71 $20.71

19.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$89.2 $89.2

32.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$13.19 $13.19

-22.82%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$5.66 $5.66

4.24%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.64 $2.64

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.28 $2.28

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 $7.04

$6.87 $6.87

2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 $7.44

$8.84 $8.84

-15.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.25 $1.25

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.72 $3.72

12.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.39 $5.39

-20.04%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$4.74 $4.74

11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.14 $17.14

$13.84 $13.84

23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.56 $16.56

$14.40 $14.40

15.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$18.38 $18.38

25.30%

Apples (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$5.22 $5.22

32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.06 $4.06

-1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.97 $4.97

19.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.67 $2.67

8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.66 $2.66

39.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.24 $2.24

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.13 $3.13

-21.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.99 $13.99

$13.82 $13.82

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 $18.29

$14.88 $14.88

22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.51 $3.51

33.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.43 $2.43

61.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 $128

$73.5 $73.5

74.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.18 $3.18

25.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.39 $1.39

15.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.13 $25.13

$25.03 $25.03

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.20 $1.20

-16.67%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.45%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-11.26%

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

$214 $214

$194 $194

10.30%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$69.5 $69.5

-8.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.6 $61.6

28.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$47.90 $47.90

111.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 $30.23

$27.34 $27.34

10.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 $15.91

$17.81 $17.81

-10.67%

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

$2,926 $2,926

$1,794 $1,794

63.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.5K $41.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$67.0 $67.0

12.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.29 $43.29

$52.1 $52.1

-16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$102 $102

4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$144 $144

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 $2,364

$2,526 $2,526

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$1,578 $1,578

-2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,630 $3,630

$4,738 $4,738

-23.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,204 $3,204

$2,693 $2,693

18.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,480 $6,480

$4,190 $4,190

54.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,297 $4,297

$2,768 $2,768

55.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,272 $6,272

$4,931 $4,931

27.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for Reston, VA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reston, VA

$1.5K 47.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 2.7% $42

Groceries & Markets

Reston, VA

$499 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.3% $52

Eating Out

Reston, VA

$371 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 7.1% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reston, VA

$357 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.9% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Reston, VA

$158 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 3.9% $6.1

Getting Around

Reston, VA

$156 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 40% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Reston, VA

$133 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 37.2% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,364 in Reston, VA 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 27% higher in Reston, VA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Reston, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $499 vs $447 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Reston, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

22:03 10:03 PM

1 h behind Reston, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,404

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Reston, VA Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Reston, VA
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

Reston, VA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,210 in Reston, VA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,815 per month in Reston, VA 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 $2,364 in Reston, VA 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 12% more in Reston, VA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Reston, VA 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 $3,210 in Reston, VA 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 $3,210 in Reston, VA. 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, Reston, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.