Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Virginia Beach, VA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Virginia Beach, VA: $2,871 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Virginia Beach, VA
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Virginia Beach, VA Living Index
147

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

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Virginia Beach, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,871

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,871 per month in Virginia Beach, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Virginia Beach, VA $2,871
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,064 per month in Virginia Beach, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Virginia Beach, VA $4,064
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,257 per month in Virginia Beach, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Virginia Beach, VA $5,257
Chicago, IL $5,999

Virginia Beach, VA is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Virginia Beach, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Virginia Beach, VA by 111%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.35 $18.35

$20.71 $20.71

-11.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 $90.9

$89.2 $89.2

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$13.19 $13.19

-7.35%

Cappuccino

$6.00 $6.00

$5.66 $5.66

6.01%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$2.64 $2.64

6.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.28 $2.28

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$6.87 $6.87

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$8.84 $8.84

-18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.72 $3.72

-17.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$5.39 $5.39

1.48%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$13.84 $13.84

-24.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 $9.62

$14.40 $14.40

-33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.16 $18.16

$18.38 $18.38

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$5.22 $5.22

-51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.06 $4.06

26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.97 $4.97

16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.67 $2.67

-14.61%

Onion (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.66 $2.66

69.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.24 $2.24

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.13 $3.13

-24.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.57 $9.57

$13.82 $13.82

-30.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.88 $14.88

-18.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.54 $2.54

-31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.51 $3.51

-37.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.43 $2.43

-16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.8 $70.8

$73.5 $73.5

-3.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.18 $3.18

43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.39 $1.39

-5.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

$25.03 $25.03

-20.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.52%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.33%

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

$208 $208

$194 $194

6.77%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$69.5 $69.5

-13.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$61.6 $61.6

8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.57 $25.57

$47.90 $47.90

-46.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 $35.66

$27.34 $27.34

30.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.49 $9.49

$17.81 $17.81

-46.72%

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

$1,620 $1,620

$1,794 $1,794

-9.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-49.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 $61.8

$67.0 $67.0

-7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.94 $47.94

$52.1 $52.1

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$102 $102

15.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$144 $144

-20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 $1,966

$2,526 $2,526

-22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 $1,553

$1,578 $1,578

-1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,867 $2,867

$4,738 $4,738

-39.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$2,693 $2,693

-16.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 $2,706

$4,190 $4,190

-35.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$2,768 $2,768

-15.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,353 $4,353

$4,931 $4,931

-11.71%

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 Virginia Beach, VA: 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

Virginia Beach, VA

$1.6K 54.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 1.6% $25

Groceries & Markets

Virginia Beach, VA

$377 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 18.8% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Virginia Beach, VA

$334 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.6% $8.8

Eating Out

Virginia Beach, VA

$320 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 7.8% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Virginia Beach, VA

$153 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 6.9% $11

Getting Around

Virginia Beach, VA

$90 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 3.6% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Virginia Beach, VA

$45 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 87.4% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,966 in Virginia Beach, 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in Virginia Beach, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $377 in Virginia Beach, VA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Virginia Beach, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Virginia Beach, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:56 6:56 PM

17:56 5:56 PM

1 h behind Virginia Beach, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

459,470

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

Virginia Beach, VA Chicago, IL 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Virginia Beach, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Virginia Beach, VA comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,307 per month in Virginia Beach, 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 Virginia Beach, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,966 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Virginia Beach, VA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,871 in Virginia Beach, VA 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 Virginia Beach, VA – 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 Virginia Beach, 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.