Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Des Plaines, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL: $3,073 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Des Plaines, IL
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Des Plaines, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,073

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Des Plaines, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Des Plaines, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,744 in Seattle, WA versus $3,073 in Des Plaines, IL.

Seattle, WA $3,744
Des Plaines, IL $3,073

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,703 in Seattle, WA versus $4,412 in Des Plaines, IL.

Seattle, WA $5,703
Des Plaines, IL $4,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,661 in Seattle, WA versus $5,750 in Des Plaines, IL.

Seattle, WA $7,661
Des Plaines, IL $5,750

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 22% more expensive than in Des Plaines, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Des Plaines, IL 129% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$20.88 $20.88

17.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$89.5 $89.5

11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

$12.87 $12.87

18.88%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$5.65 $5.65

17.17%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.59 $2.59

25.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.32 $2.32

34.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$6.95 $6.95

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$8.02 $8.02

-1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.95 $0.95

27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.49 $3.49

41.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.23 $4.23

45.86%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$4.16 $4.16

19.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 $19.00

$14.67 $14.67

29.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$13.02 $13.02

43.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

$18.95 $18.95

22.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.75 $4.75

24.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.63 $1.63

19.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.16 $4.16

24.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$4.82 $4.82

35.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.66 $2.66

36.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.74 $2.74

15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.15 $2.15

35.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.41 $2.41

-1.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$10.65 $10.65

16.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$14.86 $14.86

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.55 $2.55

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.53 $3.53

61.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.02 $2.02

50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.8 $60.8

78.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.17 $3.17

-16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.37 $1.37

27.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$24.93 $24.93

20.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.05 $1.05

39.05%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.9K $35.9K

2.28%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.8K $24.8K

3.44%

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

$299 $299

$195 $195

53.60%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$60.5 $60.5

15.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 $90.1

$77.2 $77.2

16.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 $80.0

$125 $125

-35.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

$40.72 $40.72

-12.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

$15.16 $15.16

14.31%

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

$2,986 $2,986

$1,545 $1,545

93.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

33.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 $77.7

$65.3 $65.3

18.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$51.0 $51.0

7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$101 $101

24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$123 $123

34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,093 $2,093

14.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,521 $1,521

29.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,788 $4,788

$3,861 $3,861

24.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

$2,536 $2,536

40.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

$3,174 $3,174

134.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

$2,521 $2,521

98.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,280 $6,280

$6,220 $6,220

0.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.77

1.18%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6%

Des Plaines, IL

$1.5K 50.6% 22.5% $442

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2%

Des Plaines, IL

$419 14% 22.6% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1%

Des Plaines, IL

$333 11.1% 27.6% $127

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6%

Des Plaines, IL

$344 11.5% 14.4% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$191 5%

Des Plaines, IL

$153 5.1% 19.8% $38

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Des Plaines, IL

$79 2.6% 40.3% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$115 3%

Des Plaines, IL

$155 5.2% 35.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,407 in Seattle, WA and $2,093 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $89.0 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $419 per month, with Des Plaines, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Des Plaines, IL

🕒 Local time

16:55 4:55 PM

18:55 6:55 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

60,675

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Des Plaines, IL 2,760 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
Des Plaines, IL

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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

Seattle, WA vs Des Plaines, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Des Plaines, IL differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($3,744 vs $3,073 including rent). Des Plaines, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,407 in Seattle, WA versus $2,093 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Des Plaines, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Des Plaines, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.