Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in McHenry, IL: $2,886 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 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
132

Cost of Living Index in McHenry, IL
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McHenry, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

McHenry, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,886 in McHenry, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
McHenry, IL $2,886

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,170 in McHenry, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
McHenry, IL $4,170

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,455 in McHenry, IL, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
McHenry, IL $5,455

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than McHenry, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and McHenry, IL sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, McHenry, IL by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.39 $20.39

20.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$65.8 $65.8

49.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$13.12 $13.12

12.73%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.66 $5.66

15.19%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.10 $3.10

4.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.53 $2.53

25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.13 $7.13

10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.02 $8.02

0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.93 $0.93

30.11%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.42 $3.42

50.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.16 $4.16

45.43%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.79 $3.79

28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$14.74 $14.74

30.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.08 $13.08

44.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$19.85 $19.85

17.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.64 $4.64

29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.62 $1.62

19.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.30 $5.30

-0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.87 $4.87

34.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.85 $2.85

27.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.03 $3.03

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.16 $2.16

28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.38 $2.38

5.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.80 $10.80

12.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.46 $15.46

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.67 $2.67

58.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.56 $4.56

26.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.29 $2.29

28.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.98 $3.98

-33.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.97 $1.97

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$43.97 $43.97

-32.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.05 $1.05

41.90%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$30.3K $30.3K

18.30%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.69%

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

$302 $302

$273 $273

10.46%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$51.8 $51.8

35.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$82.6 $82.6

3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$44.87 $44.87

73.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$14.87 $14.87

19.97%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,749 $1,749

69.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$64.8 $64.8

18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$51.4 $51.4

5.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$107 $107

19.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$122 $122

34.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,620 $1,620

50.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,452 $1,452

34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,885 $2,885

64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,451 $2,451

41.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$3,120 $3,120

136.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,499 $2,499

105.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$7,382 $7,382

-11.86%

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 19, 2026

Last update for McHenry, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

McHenry, IL

$1.5K 50.3% 25.4% $494

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

McHenry, IL

$428 14.8% 21.5% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

McHenry, IL

$408 14.1% 10.8% $50

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

McHenry, IL

$345 11.9% 13.8% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

McHenry, IL

$155 5.4% 18.4% $35

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

McHenry, IL

$23 * 0.8% 82.2% $106

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

McHenry, IL

$75 2.6% 34.3% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,620 in McHenry, 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 13% higher in McHenry, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $66.0 in McHenry, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $428 – making McHenry, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 McHenry, IL

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

22:16 10:16 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

27,135

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA McHenry, IL 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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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 McHenry, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 31% more than McHenry, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,328 in McHenry, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in McHenry, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $66.0 in McHenry, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,886 in McHenry, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. McHenry, IL costs $2,886 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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