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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,855 in Des Plaines, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,129 in Des Plaines, IL.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 39% more expensive than Des Plaines, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Des Plaines, IL 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$15.26 $15.26

62.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$79.3 $79.3

48.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.88 $10.88

26.56%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.42 $5.42

5.35%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.64 $2.64

15.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.34 $2.34

6.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.97 $5.97

31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.98 $6.98

12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.92 $0.92

46.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.06 $4.06

24.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.31 $5.31

1.51%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.12 $4.12

66.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$13.62 $13.62

84.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$13.27 $13.27

19.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$16.44 $16.44

25.24%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.49 $4.49

36.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 $1.70

65.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.32 $4.32

27.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.47 $4.47

50.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.55 $2.55

23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.71 $2.71

40.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.04 $2.04

31.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.96 $1.96

34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$14.36 $14.36

-18.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.85 $14.85

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.31 $2.31

26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.72 $3.72

13.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.94 $1.94

45.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.40 $4.40

-40.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.43 $1.43

20.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$25.10 $25.10

20.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.09 $1.09

9.17%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$25.0K $25.0K

30.82%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.78%

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

$263 $263

$182 $182

44.09%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$50.1 $50.1

21.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$66.1 $66.1

14.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$43.79 $43.79

81.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$39.44 $39.44

1.14%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.70 $14.70

10.68%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,653 $1,653

37.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$24.7K $24.7K

18.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$65.4 $65.4

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$48.84 $48.84

6.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$97.3 $97.3

19.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$134 $134

7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,602 $1,602

45.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,379 $1,379

35.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,631 $2,631

75.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,224 $2,224

56.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$3,192 $3,192

143.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,480 $2,480

111.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$6,104 $6,104

8.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.6

-2.73%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 8% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $410 per month, with Des Plaines, IL cheaper across the board.

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 39% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $2,581 including rent). Des Plaines, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 8% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,653 in Des Plaines, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $118 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 39% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.