Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wasilla, AK: $2,898 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Wasilla, AK
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Wasilla, AK Living Index
146

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

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Wasilla, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,898 per month in Wasilla, AK vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wasilla, AK $2,898
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,103 per month in Wasilla, AK vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wasilla, AK $4,103
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,309 per month in Wasilla, AK vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wasilla, AK $5,309
Chicago, IL $6,019

Wasilla, AK is about 6% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Wasilla, AK and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Wasilla, AK by 114%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.85 $24.85

$20.39 $20.39

21.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$88.6 $88.6

13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$12.85 $12.85

-7.16%

Cappuccino

$4.07 $4.07

$5.78 $5.78

-29.58%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.74 $2.74

-25.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.26 $2.26

-13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 $5.36

$6.88 $6.88

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$9.24 $9.24

-14.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.26 $1.26

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.55 $3.55

-13.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.38 $5.38

14.13%

Eggs

$3.37 $3.37

$4.55 $4.55

-25.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$13.65 $13.65

-1.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 $10.57

$14.07 $14.07

-24.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 $15.70

$18.06 $18.06

-13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$8.15 $8.15

$5.16 $5.16

57.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.98 $1.98

8.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.83 $4.83

-7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.81 $2.81

-7.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.67 $2.67

14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.07 $2.07

30.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.03 $3.03

-25.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.93 $12.93

$13.90 $13.90

-6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 $19.09

$15.05 $15.05

26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.63 $2.63

-35.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.43 $2.43

-16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.8 $59.8

$75.3 $75.3

-20.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.17 $3.17

88.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.70 $1.70

1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.93 $37.93

$24.90 $24.90

52.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.28 $1.28

-21.88%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.8K $35.8K

-27.65%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.12%

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

$265 $265

$192 $192

38.24%

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

$47.66 $47.66

$69.6 $69.6

-31.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$140 $140

$62.2 $62.2

125.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.0 $85.0

$47.79 $47.79

77.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.87 $34.87

$27.10 $27.10

28.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.44 $8.44

$17.83 $17.83

-52.66%

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

$1,260 $1,260

$1,815 $1,815

-30.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-60.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 $48.47

$66.2 $66.2

-26.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 $45.86

$51.4 $51.4

-10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$103 $103

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 $91.8

$143 $143

-35.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 $1,416

$2,531 $2,531

-44.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$1,621 $1,621

-14.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$4,828 $4,828

-58.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$2,734 $2,734

-27.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.78

-4.28%

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

Last update for Wasilla, AK: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wasilla, AK

$1.4K 47.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 17.4% $241

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wasilla, AK

$453 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 28.6% $130

Groceries & Markets

Wasilla, AK

$418 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 5.1% $21

Eating Out

Wasilla, AK

$342 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 0.6% $2

Clothing & Footwear

Wasilla, AK

$120 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 36.8% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Wasilla, AK

$102 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 18.1% $18

Getting Around

Wasilla, AK

$83 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 17.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,416 in Wasilla, AK 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Wasilla, AK versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $418 in Wasilla, AK vs $439 in Chicago, IL – so Wasilla, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wasilla, AK

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:42 2:42 AM

05:42 5:42 AM

3 h ahead of Wasilla, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Wasilla, AK Chicago, IL 4,560 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Wasilla, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,898 in Wasilla, AK, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Wasilla, AK comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,346 per month in Wasilla, AK 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 Wasilla, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,416 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Wasilla, 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 $2,898 in Wasilla, AK and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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