Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Elgin, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Elgin, IL: $1,057 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $32,700 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
51

Cost of Living Index in Elgin, IL
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Elgin, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Elgin, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,057

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $1,057 in Elgin, IL.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Elgin, IL $1,057

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $2,633 in Elgin, IL.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Elgin, IL $2,633

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,209 in Elgin, IL.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Elgin, IL $4,209

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 258% more expensive than in Elgin, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seattle, WA is 178% above, Elgin, IL is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.39 $20.39

24.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.1 $59.1

70.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.94 $9.94

48.49%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.08 $4.08

59.31%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.06 $3.06

4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.04 $2.04

53.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.98 $5.98

33.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.88 $4.88

66.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.87 $0.87

34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.52 $3.52

50.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.15 $4.15

54.22%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.64 $3.64

39.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.13 $11.13

68.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.06 $13.06

43.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$11.98 $11.98

90.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.47 $4.47

35.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.33 $1.33

46.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.53 $2.53

117.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.04 $4.04

61.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.00 $2.00

74.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.01 $2.01

63.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.78 $1.78

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.40 $2.40

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.58 $10.58

18.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.75 $15.75

-5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.71 $2.71

54.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.54 $3.54

63.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.05 $4.05

-36.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.04 $2.04

-19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$27.57 $27.57

9.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.04 $1.04

35.58%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$31.2K $31.2K

18.04%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.10%

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

$308 $308

$98.8 $98.8

211.38%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$53.3 $53.3

29.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$49.92 $49.92

72.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.10 $15.10

19.34%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,656 $1,656

65.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$23.4K $23.4K

30.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$40.64 $40.64

94.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$50.3 $50.3

8.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$99.6 $99.6

27.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$120 $120

32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,162 $2,162

136.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,820 $1,820

94.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,201 $2,201

235.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,268 $2,268

120.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,966 $3,966

63.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.69

2.99%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Elgin, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Elgin, IL

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Elgin, IL

$368 34.9% 32.6% $179

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Elgin, IL

$202 19.1% 56.4% $261

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Elgin, IL

$302 28.6% 25.7% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Elgin, IL

$140 13.2% 25.9% $49

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Elgin, IL

$14 * 1.4% 88.9% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Elgin, IL

$30 * 2.9% 73.2% $82

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

Cost Breakdown

Seattle, WA pays 63% 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: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $59 in Elgin, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $368 per month, with Elgin, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Elgin, IL

🕒 Local time

00:12 12:12 AM

02:12 2:12 AM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

112,603

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Elgin, IL 2,730 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Elgin, 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

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

Elgin, IL is about 72% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 63% 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.

Childcare runs $2,746 in Seattle, WA versus $1,656 in Elgin, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $59 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,057 in Elgin, IL versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Elgin, IL wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.