Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Yakima, WA: $2,253 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Yakima, WA
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Yakima, WA Living Index
152

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

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Yakima, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,253

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,253 per month in Yakima, WA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Yakima, WA $2,253
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Yakima, WA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Yakima, WA $3,276
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Yakima, WA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Yakima, WA $4,299
Chicago, IL $6,115

Yakima, WA is about 28% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Yakima, WA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Yakima, WA by 66%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 $15.57

$20.65 $20.65

-24.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 $64.1

$90.2 $90.2

-29.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 $11.38

$12.94 $12.94

-12.06%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$5.60 $5.60

-18.93%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$2.64 $2.64

-18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.27 $2.27

15.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 $3.78

$6.98 $6.98

-45.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$8.83 $8.83

-52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.27 $1.27

-22.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.80 $3.80

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$5.30 $5.30

-32.08%

Eggs

$3.22 $3.22

$4.76 $4.76

-32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$13.96 $13.96

-16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$14.61 $14.61

-39.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$18.77 $18.77

-21.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$5.19 $5.19

-32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.98 $1.98

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.93 $3.93

8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.96 $4.96

-31.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.76 $2.76

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.76 $2.76

-21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 $2.22

-7.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.98 $2.98

-43.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.34 $12.34

$14.02 $14.02

-11.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 $14.06

$15.28 $15.28

-7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.58 $2.58

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.50 $3.50

38.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.47 $2.47

105.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.34 $3.34

-21.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.43 $1.43

-35.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$24.32 $24.32

23.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.26 $1.26

0.79%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.28%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

4.36%

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

$219 $219

$193 $193

13.49%

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

$54.1 $54.1

$68.3 $68.3

-20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$61.3 $61.3

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 $51.4

$54.1 $54.1

-5.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.10 $14.10

$17.74 $17.74

-20.52%

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

$1,720 $1,720

$1,652 $1,652

4.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,241 $7,241

$31.1K $31.1K

-76.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 $61.7

$66.1 $66.1

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.66 $43.66

$51.2 $51.2

-14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$100 $100

-18.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$141 $141

-22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 $1,044

$2,446 $2,446

-57.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 $1,063

$1,678 $1,678

-36.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 $1,694

$4,717 $4,717

-64.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 $1,749

$2,795 $2,795

-37.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,662 $2,662

$4,105 $4,105

-35.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,471 $2,471

$2,650 $2,650

-6.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,530 $3,530

$4,866 $4,866

-27.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.81

-5.43%

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

Last update for Yakima, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Yakima, WA

$1.1K 47.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 57.8% $615

Groceries & Markets

Yakima, WA

$348 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 29.3% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yakima, WA

$342 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5.7% $20

Eating Out

Yakima, WA

$260 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 32.3% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Yakima, WA

$133 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 20.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Yakima, WA

$80 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 12.6% $10

Getting Around

Yakima, WA

$28 * 1.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 245% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,044 in Yakima, WA versus $2,446 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 38% 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 $64 in Yakima, WA versus $90 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $449 – making Yakima, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Yakima, WA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:08 4:08 PM

18:08 6:08 PM

2 h ahead of Yakima, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

96,968

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Yakima, WA Chicago, IL 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Yakima, WA
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,253 in Yakima, WA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,379 per month in Yakima, WA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yakima, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,044 there versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Yakima, WA and $90 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,253 in Yakima, WA and $3,139 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 $2,253 in Yakima, WA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Yakima, WA. 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.