Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Walla Walla, WA: $2,444 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Walla Walla, WA
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Walla Walla, WA Living Index
146

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

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Walla Walla, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,444

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,444 per month in Walla Walla, WA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Walla Walla, WA $2,444
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,618 per month in Walla Walla, WA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Walla Walla, WA $3,618
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,791 per month in Walla Walla, WA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Walla Walla, WA $4,791
Chicago, IL $6,019

Walla Walla, WA is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Walla Walla, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Walla Walla, WA by 81%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 $19.92

$20.39 $20.39

-2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 $68.5

$88.6 $88.6

-22.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 $10.99

$12.85 $12.85

-14.47%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$5.78 $5.78

-9.86%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.74 $2.74

-14.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.26 $2.26

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 $4.04

$6.88 $6.88

-41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$9.24 $9.24

-37.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.26 $1.26

-25.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.55 $3.55

-6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.38 $5.38

-40.89%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$4.55 $4.55

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$13.65 $13.65

18.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$14.07 $14.07

-0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.31 $16.31

$18.06 $18.06

-9.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.16 $5.16

-12.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.98 $1.98

-14.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.88 $3.88

-44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.83 $4.83

-25.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.81 $2.81

-23.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.67 $2.67

-14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.07 $2.07

-28.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$3.03 $3.03

-40.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.55 $8.55

$13.90 $13.90

-38.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.93 $11.93

$15.05 $15.05

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.63 $2.63

-28.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.45 $3.45

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 $0.48

$2.43 $2.43

-80.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.19 $10.19

$75.3 $75.3

-86.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.17 $3.17

-37.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.70 $1.70

-25.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.70 $39.70

$24.90 $24.90

59.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.28 $1.28

-9.38%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.60%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

1.19%

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

$225 $225

$192 $192

17.15%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$69.6 $69.6

6.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$62.2 $62.2

9.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.90 $42.90

$47.79 $47.79

-10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 $11.16

$17.83 $17.83

-37.41%

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

$1,355 $1,355

$1,815 $1,815

-25.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$40.6K $40.6K

-56.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.42 $39.42

$66.2 $66.2

-40.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 $34.36

$51.4 $51.4

-33.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 $83.7

$103 $103

-19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 $81.9

$143 $143

-42.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$2,531 $2,531

-45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$1,621 $1,621

-25.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 $2,343

$4,828 $4,828

-51.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 $2,098

$2,734 $2,734

-23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,792 $2,792

$4,163 $4,163

-32.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,718 $2,718

$2,723 $2,723

-0.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,218 $5,218

$4,924 $4,924

5.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.78

-5.01%

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

Last update for Walla Walla, WA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Walla Walla, WA

$1.2K 49.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 35.1% $421

Groceries & Markets

Walla Walla, WA

$380 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 15.6% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Walla Walla, WA

$367 15%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 11.8% $43

Eating Out

Walla Walla, WA

$304 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 13.2% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Walla Walla, WA

$108 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 51.9% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Walla Walla, WA

$65 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 27.9% $18

Getting Around

Walla Walla, WA

$20 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 374% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,390 in Walla Walla, WA versus $2,531 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 6% higher in Walla Walla, WA, 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 $69 in Walla Walla, WA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $439 – making Walla Walla, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Walla Walla, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:09 12:09 AM

02:09 2:09 AM

2 h ahead of Walla Walla, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,060

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Walla Walla, WA Chicago, IL 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Walla Walla, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,444 in Walla Walla, WA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Walla Walla, WA comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,666 per month in Walla Walla, WA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Walla Walla, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,390 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Walla Walla, WA 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 Walla Walla, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,444, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Walla Walla, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Walla Walla, WA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 20% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.