Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in The Dalles, OR: $2,414 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in The Dalles, OR
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The Dalles, OR Living Index
147

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

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The Dalles, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,414

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,414 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

The Dalles, OR $2,414
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,667 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

The Dalles, OR $3,667
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,921 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

The Dalles, OR $4,921
Chicago, IL $5,999

The Dalles, OR is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both The Dalles, OR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – The Dalles, OR by 77%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$20.71 $20.71

-3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 $93.8

$89.2 $89.2

5.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$13.19 $13.19

-7.96%

Cappuccino

$4.48 $4.48

$5.66 $5.66

-20.85%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$2.64 $2.64

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.28 $2.28

-7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.87 $6.87

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.84 $8.84

-19.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.25 $1.25

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.72 $3.72

-11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.39 $5.39

-24.68%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$4.74 $4.74

-37.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 $14.94

$13.84 $13.84

7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.40 $14.40

-2.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$18.38 $18.38

-39.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.22 $5.22

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.06 $4.06

-3.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.97 $4.97

-19.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.67 $2.67

16.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.66 $2.66

25.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.24 $2.24

-20.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.13 $3.13

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 $11.28

$13.82 $13.82

-18.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$14.88 $14.88

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.54 $2.54

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.51 $3.51

-15.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.43 $2.43

-15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$73.5 $73.5

-19.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.18 $3.18

10.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.39 $1.39

58.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.16 $49.16

$25.03 $25.03

96.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.20 $1.20

2.50%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-28.05%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-8.12%

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

$188 $188

$194 $194

-3.34%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$69.5 $69.5

-13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$61.6 $61.6

15.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.12 $40.12

$47.90 $47.90

-16.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$17.81 $17.81

-33.07%

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

$1,012 $1,012

$1,794 $1,794

-43.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-48.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.48 $40.48

$67.0 $67.0

-39.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.67 $34.67

$52.1 $52.1

-33.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 $60.1

$102 $102

-40.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 $80.1

$144 $144

-44.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$2,526 $2,526

-38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 $1,163

$1,578 $1,578

-26.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 $2,589

$4,738 $4,738

-45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 $2,067

$2,693 $2,693

-23.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$4,190 $4,190

-41.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,768 $2,768

-23.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,842 $3,842

$4,931 $4,931

-22.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for The Dalles, OR: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

The Dalles, OR

$1.2K 48.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 35.7% $415

Groceries & Markets

The Dalles, OR

$382 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 17% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

The Dalles, OR

$319 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.1% $6.6

Eating Out

The Dalles, OR

$307 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 12.5% $38

Clothing & Footwear

The Dalles, OR

$97 4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 69.2% $67

Getting Around

The Dalles, OR

$82 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 13.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

The Dalles, OR

$64 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 30.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,565 in The Dalles, OR 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 28% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94 in The Dalles, OR versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in The Dalles, OR vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so The Dalles, OR wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 The Dalles, OR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:49 10:49 AM

12:49 12:49 PM

2 h ahead of The Dalles, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,783

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

The Dalles, OR Chicago, IL 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

The Dalles, OR
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

The Dalles, OR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,414 in The Dalles, OR, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,621 per month in The Dalles, OR 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 The Dalles, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,565 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94 in The Dalles, OR and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in The Dalles, OR, where all-in costs run around $2,414, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In The Dalles, OR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward The Dalles, OR – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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