Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wheaton, IL: $2,571 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
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Wheaton, IL Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA versus $2,571 in Wheaton, IL.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Wheaton, IL $2,571

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,636 in Seattle, WA versus $3,945 in Wheaton, IL.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Wheaton, IL $3,945

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,489 in Seattle, WA versus $5,320 in Wheaton, IL.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Wheaton, IL $5,320

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Wheaton, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Wheaton, IL 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$16.13 $16.13

52.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$69.3 $69.3

41.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.99 $11.99

23.35%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.56 $5.56

17.27%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.08 $3.08

4.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.33 $2.33

36.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.09 $7.09

10.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.19 $8.19

-1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.87 $0.87

39.08%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.83 $2.83

81.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.88 $2.88

110.07%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.67 $3.67

32.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$9.92 $9.92

93.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$11.07 $11.07

70.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.89 $14.89

56.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.67 $4.67

28.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.59 $1.59

21.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.93 $2.93

79.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.14 $2.14

207.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.70 $1.70

112.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.14 $3.14

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.89 $1.89

47.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.41 $2.41

4.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.98 $8.98

35.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$11.90 $11.90

24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.26 $2.26

86.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.72 $2.72

112.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$5.03 $5.03

-41.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$101 $101

5.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.09 $4.09

-35.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.80 $0.80

115.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$43.88 $43.88

-32.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.03 $1.03

44.66%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$23.1K $23.1K

55.54%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.96%

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

$302 $302

$174 $174

73.97%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$51.7 $51.7

35.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$68.9 $68.9

23.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$34.62 $34.62

124.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.08 $12.08

47.68%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,698 $1,698

75.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

32.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$57.7 $57.7

32.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$34.98 $34.98

54.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$87.2 $87.2

46.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$102 $102

61.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,011 $2,011

21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,321 $1,321

47.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,753 $2,753

72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,583 $2,583

34.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$5,537 $5,537

17.52%

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 Wheaton, 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%

Wheaton, IL

$1.3K 51.4% 32.1% $626

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Wheaton, IL

$337 13.1% 38.3% $209

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Wheaton, IL

$294 11.4% 35.7% $163

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Wheaton, IL

$305 11.9% 23.6% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Wheaton, IL

$127 4.9% 33.4% $64

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Wheaton, IL

$129 5% 0.4% $0.5

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Wheaton, IL

$59 2.3% 48.2% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Seattle, WA and $2,011 in Wheaton, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 18% 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: $98.0 in Seattle, WA vs $69.0 in Wheaton, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $337 per month, with Wheaton, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

22:56 10:56 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

54,611

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Wheaton, IL 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

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

Wheaton, IL is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,011 in Wheaton, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wheaton, IL – a meal for two runs $69.0 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 $2,571 in Wheaton, IL – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Wheaton, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Wheaton, 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.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Wheaton, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wheaton, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.