Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waynesboro, VA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Waynesboro, VA: $2,536 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Waynesboro, VA
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Waynesboro, VA Living Index
147

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

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Waynesboro, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,536

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,536 per month in Waynesboro, VA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waynesboro, VA $2,536
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,767 per month in Waynesboro, VA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waynesboro, VA $3,767
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,998 per month in Waynesboro, VA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waynesboro, VA $4,998
Chicago, IL $5,999

Waynesboro, VA is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Waynesboro, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waynesboro, VA by 86%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.17 $24.17

$20.71 $20.71

16.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$89.2 $89.2

12.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$13.19 $13.19

-18.04%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$5.66 $5.66

1.41%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$2.64 $2.64

17.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.28 $2.28

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$6.87 $6.87

13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.06 $9.06

$8.84 $8.84

2.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.25 $1.25

-32.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.72 $3.72

-18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$5.39 $5.39

-60.11%

Eggs

$2.14 $2.14

$4.74 $4.74

-54.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$13.84 $13.84

-26.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$14.40 $14.40

-40.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 $9.58

$18.38 $18.38

-47.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.22 $5.22

-24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.98 $1.98

-40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.06 $4.06

-44.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.97 $4.97

-16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.67 $2.67

-25.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.66 $2.66

-11.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.24 $2.24

-8.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.13 $3.13

-46.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 $7.78

$13.82 $13.82

-43.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 $14.34

$14.88 $14.88

-3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.54 $2.54

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.51 $3.51

-40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.43 $2.43

-19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$73.5 $73.5

-16.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.18 $3.18

27.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.39 $1.39

-12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.84 $24.84

$25.03 $25.03

-0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 $1.20

-18.33%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.48%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-9.60%

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

$162 $162

$194 $194

-16.66%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$69.5 $69.5

-25.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$61.6 $61.6

1.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 $39.62

$47.90 $47.90

-17.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 $10.84

$17.81 $17.81

-39.14%

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

$1,850 $1,850

$1,794 $1,794

3.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.9K $35.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

12.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$67.0 $67.0

-17.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 $62.1

$52.1 $52.1

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$102 $102

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$144 $144

11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 $1,531

$2,526 $2,526

-39.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 $1,275

$1,578 $1,578

-19.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 $2,499

$4,738 $4,738

-47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 $2,076

$2,693 $2,693

-22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 $2,956

$4,190 $4,190

-29.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$2,768 $2,768

-10.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 $4,299

$4,931 $4,931

-12.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.81

-0.29%

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

Last update for Waynesboro, VA: 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

Waynesboro, VA

$1.3K 50.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.8% $303

Eating Out

Waynesboro, VA

$374 14.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 7.8% $29

Groceries & Markets

Waynesboro, VA

$299 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 49.6% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waynesboro, VA

$276 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 17.8% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Waynesboro, VA

$172 6.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 4.4% $7.6

Getting Around

Waynesboro, VA

$79 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 18.3% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Waynesboro, VA

$61 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 36.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,531 in Waynesboro, 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 15% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $100 in Waynesboro, VA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Waynesboro, VA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Waynesboro, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waynesboro, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:47 1:47 PM

12:47 12:47 PM

1 h behind Waynesboro, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,327

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

Waynesboro, VA Chicago, IL 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Waynesboro, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,536 in Waynesboro, VA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,804 per month in Waynesboro, 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 Waynesboro, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,531 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 Waynesboro, VA 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 $2,536 in Waynesboro, VA and $3,037 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 $2,536 in Waynesboro, VA to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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