Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,983 in Washington, DC, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

194

Cost of Living Index in Washington, DC
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Washington, DC Living Index
153

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

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Washington, DC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,983

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,983 per month in Washington, DC vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Washington, DC $3,983
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $6,228 per month in Washington, DC vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Washington, DC $6,228
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $8,473 per month in Washington, DC vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Washington, DC $8,473
Chicago, IL $6,077

Washington, DC costs about 25% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Washington, DC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Washington, DC by 195%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.77 $27.77

$21.58 $21.58

28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 $108

$88.7 $88.7

22.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$13.20 $13.20

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$6.33 $6.33

$5.59 $5.59

13.24%

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

$3.18 $3.18

$2.63 $2.63

20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.26 $2.26

17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 $9.05

$7.11 $7.11

27.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.02 $10.02

$9.23 $9.23

8.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.28 $1.28

3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.84 $3.84

6.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.07 $5.07

35.50%

Eggs

$5.75 $5.75

$4.84 $4.84

18.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.13 $17.13

$14.17 $14.17

20.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$14.61 $14.61

13.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 $18.87

$18.76 $18.76

0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$5.19 $5.19

36.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.00 $2.00

16.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.00 $4.00

24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$4.98 $4.98

17.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.79 $2.79

2.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.65 $2.65

45.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.13 $2.13

25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.09 $3.09

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 $14.17

$16.05 $16.05

-11.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 $16.05

$15.20 $15.20

5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.62 $2.62

24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 $5.74

$3.46 $3.46

65.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.47 $2.47

35.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 $120

$75.1 $75.1

59.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.21 $3.21

25.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.39 $1.39

16.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.11 $25.11

$25.02 $25.02

0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.24 $1.24

-12.10%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-3.01%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.95%

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

$211 $211

$192 $192

9.55%

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

$81.6 $81.6

$67.8 $67.8

20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.8 $78.8

$60.9 $60.9

29.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$53.6 $53.6

109.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.7 $73.7

$27.90 $27.90

164.30%

Cinema Ticket

$17.76 $17.76

$17.80 $17.80

-0.22%

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

$3,178 $3,178

$1,554 $1,554

104.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.6K $41.6K

$31.4K $31.4K

32.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$67.9 $67.9

6.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.71 $43.71

$50.8 $50.8

-13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$101 $101

1.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$143 $143

-13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,730 $2,730

$2,383 $2,383

14.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$1,712 $1,712

30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,011 $5,011

$4,674 $4,674

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,437 $4,437

$2,738 $2,738

62.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,288 $8,288

$4,158 $4,158

99.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,671 $3,671

$2,691 $2,691

36.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,188 $6,188

$4,894 $4,894

26.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.77

-2.07%

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

Last update for Washington, DC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Washington, DC

$2.2K 56%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 23.2% $518

Groceries & Markets

Washington, DC

$513 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 12% $61

Eating Out

Washington, DC

$423 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 16.6% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Washington, DC

$371 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 13.5% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Washington, DC

$154 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 6% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Washington, DC

$148 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 39.6% $59

Getting Around

Washington, DC

$145 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 34.4% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,730 in Washington, DC versus $2,383 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 26% higher in Washington, DC, 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 $108 in Washington, DC versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $513 vs $451 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Washington, DC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:57 5:57 PM

16:57 4:57 PM

1 h behind Washington, DC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

672,228 Capital

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Washington, DC Chicago, IL 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Washington, DC
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

Washington, DC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,983 in Washington, DC, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,975 per month in Washington, DC and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Washington, DC, 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 $108 in Washington, DC and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,983 in Washington, DC and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,983 in Washington, DC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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