Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdez, AK and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Valdez, AK: $2,832 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Valdez, AK
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Valdez, AK Living Index
147

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

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Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,832

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,832 per month in Valdez, AK vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Valdez, AK $2,832
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,984 per month in Valdez, AK vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Valdez, AK $3,984
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,136 per month in Valdez, AK vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Valdez, AK $5,136
Chicago, IL $5,999

Valdez, AK is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Valdez, AK and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Valdez, AK by 108%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.31 $23.31

$20.71 $20.71

12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$89.2 $89.2

12.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.23 $20.23

$13.19 $13.19

53.37%

Cappuccino

$4.24 $4.24

$5.66 $5.66

-25.09%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$2.64 $2.64

-7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.28 $2.28

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.87 $6.87

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.91 $8.91

$8.84 $8.84

0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.72 $3.72

-5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.39 $5.39

-19.48%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$4.74 $4.74

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 $12.69

$13.84 $13.84

-8.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$14.40 $14.40

-19.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.11 $17.11

$18.38 $18.38

-6.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.22 $5.22

-5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.98 $1.98

-16.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.06 $4.06

8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.97 $4.97

-5.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.67 $2.67

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.66 $2.66

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.24 $2.24

-1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.13 $3.13

-27.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$13.82 $13.82

-25.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$14.88 $14.88

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.54 $2.54

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.51 $3.51

-6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.43 $2.43

-21.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$73.5 $73.5

-11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.18 $3.18

-11.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.39 $1.39

31.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.54 $33.54

$25.03 $25.03

34.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.20 $1.20

5.83%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.48%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

11.37%

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

$305 $305

$194 $194

56.82%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$69.5 $69.5

-15.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.0 $97.0

$61.6 $61.6

57.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.40 $39.40

$47.90 $47.90

-17.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 $14.11

$17.81 $17.81

-20.77%

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

$1,382 $1,382

$1,794 $1,794

-22.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K $22.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-28.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 $46.44

$67.0 $67.0

-30.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.54 $46.54

$52.1 $52.1

-10.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 $79.9

$102 $102

-21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$144 $144

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$2,526 $2,526

-35.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$1,578 $1,578

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$4,738 $4,738

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 $1,853

$2,693 $2,693

-31.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 $2,457

$4,190 $4,190

-41.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 $2,292

$2,768 $2,768

-17.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,491 $7,491

$4,931 $4,931

51.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Valdez, AK: 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

Valdez, AK

$1.3K 46.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 20% $263

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valdez, AK

$460 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 29.3% $135

Groceries & Markets

Valdez, AK

$400 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 11.8% $47

Eating Out

Valdez, AK

$370 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 6.9% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Valdez, AK

$133 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 23.4% $31

Getting Around

Valdez, AK

$85 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 10.1% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

Valdez, AK

$68 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 23.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Valdez, AK 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 52% higher in Valdez, AK, 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 $100 in Valdez, AK versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Valdez, AK vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Valdez, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:42 10:42 AM

13:42 1:42 PM

3 h ahead of Valdez, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,000

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

Valdez, AK Chicago, IL 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Valdez, AK
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

Valdez, AK vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,832 in Valdez, AK, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 7% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,248 per month in Valdez, AK 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 Valdez, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,631 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $100 in Valdez, AK and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,832 in Valdez, AK and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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