2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Washington, DC vs DeKalb, IL

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in DeKalb or is it cheaper to live in Washington?
- DeKalb is 41.9% less expensive than Washington.

Which city has more affordable housing, DeKalb or Washington?
- DeKalb housing costs are 74.6% less expensive than Washington housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Washington or is Health Care more affordable in DeKalb.
- Health related expenses are 30.3% more in DeKalb.
 Washington, DCDeKalb, ILUnited States
 Overall  Unlock88.3100
 Food & Groceries114.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock124.4100
 Housing231.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$206,000$338,100
 Utilities106  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock77.2100
 Miscellaneous175.9  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Washington    97 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

Living in DC long term brings on a kind of insidious misery. A long, slow, simmering down of any natural optimism or desire for a better future. It’s a leach of a town  More

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Over 5 years ago

Parts are beautiful but alot is rundown and ghetto. They always show the monuments and upper nw neighborhoods but never show hoods across the Anacostia River. Crime is  More

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Moved to DC 40 years ago from Mpls-St. Paul. DC is an amazing town. Downside is people are very competitive, everything is expensive. Great restaurants, foodie heaven  More

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Reviews for Dekalb    2 Reviews

Over 17 years ago

While I love the cheaper rents then in the closer suburbs (to Chicago), the lack of high paying jobs for anyone without high degrees (Masters or higher) is  More

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As a 37 year resident of DeKalb - an escapee of the Chicago suburbs, I am pleased to write a bit about my hometown. Originally a college town in a farming community,  More

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