Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sequim, WA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Sequim, WA and in Chicago, IL: $3,178 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

152

Cost of Living Index in Sequim, WA
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Sequim, WA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Sequim, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,178

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sequim, WA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sequim, WA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,178 per month in Sequim, WA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sequim, WA $3,178
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,615 per month in Sequim, WA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sequim, WA $4,615
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,052 per month in Sequim, WA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sequim, WA $6,052
Chicago, IL $5,999

Sequim, WA costs about 5% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Sequim, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sequim, WA by 134%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$20.71 $20.71

20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$89.2 $89.2

-17.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 $12.69

$13.19 $13.19

-3.79%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$5.66 $5.66

-8.48%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$2.64 $2.64

-18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.28 $2.28

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.87 $6.87

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$8.84 $8.84

-19.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.25 $1.25

-14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.72 $3.72

-5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.39 $5.39

-25.05%

Eggs

$3.95 $3.95

$4.74 $4.74

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 $13.98

$13.84 $13.84

1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$14.40 $14.40

-6.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.28 $26.28

$18.38 $18.38

42.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$5.22 $5.22

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.98 $1.98

-4.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.06 $4.06

-0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.97 $4.97

-3.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.67 $2.67

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.66 $2.66

-9.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.24 $2.24

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.13 $3.13

-23.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.13 $12.13

$13.82 $13.82

-12.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$14.88 $14.88

2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.54 $2.54

-22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.51 $3.51

-21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.43 $2.43

-39.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.62 $40.62

$73.5 $73.5

-44.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.20 $1.20

9.17%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.11%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.38%

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

$291 $291

$194 $194

49.89%

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

$49.67 $49.67

$69.5 $69.5

-28.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.2 $85.2

$61.6 $61.6

38.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.1 $70.1

$47.90 $47.90

46.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$16.92 $16.92

$17.81 $17.81

-5.00%

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

$1,794 $1,794

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.80 $39.80

$67.0 $67.0

-40.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.22 $49.22

$52.1 $52.1

-5.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$102 $102

-0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 $1,933

$2,526 $2,526

-23.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$1,578 $1,578

5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,159 $3,159

$4,738 $4,738

-33.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 $2,842

$2,693 $2,693

5.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 $3,779

$4,190 $4,190

-9.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,284 $3,284

$2,768 $2,768

18.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 $2,960

$4,931 $4,931

-39.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Sequim, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sequim, WA

$1.7K 52.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 5.1% $85

Groceries & Markets

Sequim, WA

$439 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 1.8% $7.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sequim, WA

$426 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 23.6% $101

Eating Out

Sequim, WA

$359 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3.8% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Sequim, WA

$140 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 16.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Sequim, WA

$104 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 19.7% $20

Getting Around

Sequim, WA

$46 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 101% $47

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,933 in Sequim, WA versus $2,526 in Chicago, 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 67% higher in Chicago, 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 $74 in Sequim, WA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $447 – making Sequim, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sequim, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:40 11:40 AM

13:40 1:40 PM

2 h ahead of Sequim, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Sequim, WA Chicago, IL 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Sequim, WA
Chicago, 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

Sequim, WA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,178 in Sequim, WA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,768 per month in Sequim, WA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sequim, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,933 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Sequim, WA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,178 in Sequim, WA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That’s a gap of about 5%.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,178 in Sequim, WA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,178 in Sequim, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.