Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Streamwood, IL: $2,519 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Streamwood, IL
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Streamwood, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Streamwood, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,519 in Streamwood, IL.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Streamwood, IL $2,519

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,740 in Streamwood, IL.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Streamwood, IL $3,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $4,961 in Streamwood, IL.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Streamwood, IL $4,961

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 50% more expensive than in Streamwood, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Streamwood, IL 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$19.86 $19.86

23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$76.0 $76.0

29.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.94 $11.94

23.87%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.39 $5.39

20.96%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.04 $3.04

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.50 $2.50

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.85 $5.85

34.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.80 $7.80

2.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.93 $0.93

30.11%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.49 $3.49

47.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.93 $2.93

106.48%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.57 $3.57

36.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$10.14 $10.14

89.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.30 $11.30

67.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.36 $14.36

62.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.78 $4.78

25.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.67 $1.67

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.46 $4.46

17.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.81 $4.81

36.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.75 $2.75

31.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.09 $3.09

7.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.54 $1.54

80.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.49 $1.49

68.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.86 $10.86

12.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$12.14 $12.14

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.70 $1.70

148.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.38 $4.38

31.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.04 $2.04

44.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$40.10 $40.10

164.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.08 $4.08

-35.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.05 $2.05

-16.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$44.25 $44.25

-32.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.09 $1.09

36.70%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$25.0K $25.0K

43.86%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

4.29%

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

$302 $302

$173 $173

74.42%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$51.0 $51.0

37.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$54.9 $54.9

55.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$41.70 $41.70

86.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$8.19 $8.19

322.22%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$15.23 $15.23

17.14%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,505 $1,505

97.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

34.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$56.8 $56.8

34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$45.21 $45.21

19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$98.2 $98.2

30.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$102 $102

61.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,616 $1,616

51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,287 $1,287

51.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,495 $2,495

90.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,185 $2,185

58.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,723 $2,723

170.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,365 $2,365

116.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$7,119 $7,119

-8.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.43

7.15%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Streamwood, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Streamwood, IL

$1.3K 51.1% 33.9% $660

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Streamwood, IL

$356 14.1% 34.8% $190

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Streamwood, IL

$279 11.1% 39% $178

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Streamwood, IL

$326 13% 18.3% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Streamwood, IL

$136 5.4% 28.6% $54

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Streamwood, IL

$63 2.5% 51.6% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Streamwood, IL

$72 2.9% 36.4% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $1,616 in Streamwood, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Streamwood, IL pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $76.0 in Streamwood, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $356 per month, with Streamwood, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Streamwood, IL

🕒 Local time

20:17 8:17 PM

22:17 10:17 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

37,535

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Streamwood, IL 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Streamwood, IL is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Streamwood, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,616 in Streamwood, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Streamwood, IL – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,519 in Streamwood, IL – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Streamwood, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Streamwood, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Streamwood, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.