✦ Compare
Chicago vs
Washington
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Chicago, IL vs Washington, DC at a glance — Washington, DC is 6% more expensive than Chicago, IL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $2,300/mo versus $1,900/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 37%.
To keep the same standard of living in Washington, DC, you'd need
$79,212 / year
Washington, DC is 6% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Washington, DC vs Chicago, IL)
- Housing+24%
- Food & groceries-4%
- Transport-6%
- Utilities-4%
- Healthcare-11%
- Goods & services-1%
Median 1-bed rent
$1,900 /mo
Chicago, IL overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$2,300 /mo
Washington, DC overview →
◎ How Chicago, IL and Washington, DC compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Chicago, IL | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 103 | 108 |
| Housing | 116 | 144 |
| Food | 95 | 91 |
| Transport | 101 | 95 |
| Utilities | 90 | 86 |
| Healthcare | 98 | 87 |
| Goods & services | 98 | 97 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,900/mo | $2,300/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,450/mo | $1,800/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $3,600/mo | $4,500/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $5,500 | $8,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $973 | $922 |
| Inexpensive meal | $18 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | $105 | $100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 37% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 21% | 21% |
| Capital gains | 20% | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $4,300/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,257/mo✓ | $1,257/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $90,027✓ | $90,027✓ |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Native | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 90 | 80 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 | UTC-5 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Quality of life (overall) | 66 | 67 |
| Safety index | 48 | 50 |
| Healthcare index | 80 | 80 |
| Pollution index | 45 | 40 |
| Internet speed | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 77 |
| Public transport | 78 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 60 | 62 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | $450/mo | $470/mo |
| Life expectancy | 79 yr✓ | 79 yr✓ |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | -4 °C | +2 °C |
| July avg | +24 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 189 | 203 |
| Rainfall / year | 950 mm | 1,000 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
Cost of living: Chicago vs Washington — in your currency
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
Good to know before you move to Chicago
Big-city amenities and architecture at Midwest prices — the winters, though, are famously brutal.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ USD)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-6
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 48/100
- Climate
- ❄ -4°C · ☀ 24°C · 189 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Loop · Wicker Park · Lincoln Park
Good to know before you move to Washington
The US capital — stable government and consulting jobs, a strong transit system and grand monuments.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ USD)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-5
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 50/100
- Climate
- ❄ 2°C · ☀ 27°C · 203 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Dupont Circle · Georgetown · Shaw
Plan your move to Chicago
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
Sponsored
Plan your move to Washington
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Chicago to Washington: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Chicago to Washington, your cost of living will be roughly 6% more expensive. Washington’s cost-of-living index is 108 versus 103 for Chicago (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Chicago cheaper than Washington?
Washington is about 6% more expensive than Chicago overall — its cost-of-living index is 108 versus 103 for Chicago.
Which is more expensive, Chicago or Washington?
Washington is more expensive than Chicago. Its cost-of-living index is 108 vs 103 (US = 100) — about 5% higher.
Is rent cheaper in Chicago or Washington?
Rent is cheaper in Chicago — about $1,900/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,300 in Washington.
How much do you need to earn in Washington to live like in Chicago?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Chicago is worth about $79,212 in Washington. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Chicago or Washington?
Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (37%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.
◷ More comparisons from Chicago
How we calculate these figures →
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.