Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Staunton, VA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Staunton, VA: $2,159 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Staunton, VA
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Staunton, VA Living Index
147

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

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Staunton, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,159

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Staunton, VA 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 Staunton, VA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,159 per month in Staunton, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Staunton, VA $2,159
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,278 per month in Staunton, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Staunton, VA $3,278
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,397 per month in Staunton, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Staunton, VA $4,397
Chicago, IL $5,999

Staunton, VA is about 29% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Staunton, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Staunton, VA by 59%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$20.71 $20.71

-5.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$89.2 $89.2

-8.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 $12.75

$13.19 $13.19

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.66 $5.66

-0.18%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.64 $2.64

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.28 $2.28

9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.87 $6.87

-42.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 $5.62

$8.84 $8.84

-36.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.25 $1.25

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.72 $3.72

-9.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.39 $5.39

-28.94%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$4.74 $4.74

-3.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$13.84 $13.84

-18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$14.40 $14.40

7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$18.38 $18.38

-17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$5.22 $5.22

21.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.06 $4.06

0.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.97 $4.97

-17.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.67 $2.67

-19.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.66 $2.66

3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.24 $2.24

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.13 $3.13

-19.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$13.82 $13.82

-33.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 $15.70

$14.88 $14.88

5.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.51 $3.51

-6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.18 $3.18

53.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.39 $1.39

111.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.25 $35.25

$25.03 $25.03

40.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.20 $1.20

-25.00%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-33.35%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-10.60%

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

$173 $173

$194 $194

-10.96%

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

$39.63 $39.63

$69.5 $69.5

-42.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 $29.58

$61.6 $61.6

-52.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 $43.85

$47.90 $47.90

-8.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 $13.41

$17.81 $17.81

-24.71%

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

$3,116 $3,116

$1,794 $1,794

73.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$65.3K $65.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

104.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 $86.5

$67.0 $67.0

29.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 $55.8

$52.1 $52.1

7.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 $142

$102 $102

39.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$144 $144

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$2,526 $2,526

-46.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 $904

$1,578 $1,578

-42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 $1,646

$4,738 $4,738

-65.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 $1,510

$2,693 $2,693

-43.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 $2,222

$4,190 $4,190

-46.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 $2,237

$2,768 $2,768

-19.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,974 $3,974

$4,931 $4,931

-19.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.99

6.81

2.64%

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

Last update for Staunton, VA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Staunton, VA

$904 41.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 74.6% $674

Groceries & Markets

Staunton, VA

$410 19%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 9.2% $38

Eating Out

Staunton, VA

$316 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.2% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Staunton, VA

$242 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 34.3% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Staunton, VA

$197 9.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 16.6% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Staunton, VA

$71 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 18.2% $13

Getting Around

Staunton, VA

$20 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 376% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,344 in Staunton, VA 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 24% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Staunton, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $447 – making Staunton, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Staunton, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:43 11:43 PM

22:43 10:43 PM

1 h behind Staunton, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,528

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Staunton, VA Chicago, IL 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Staunton, VA
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

Staunton, VA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,159 in Staunton, VA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Staunton, VA comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,238 per month in Staunton, VA 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 Staunton, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,344 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Staunton, VA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Staunton, VA, where all-in costs run around $2,159, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Staunton, VA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,159 in Staunton, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Staunton, VA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.