Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Abingdon, VA: $1,813 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Abingdon, VA
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Abingdon, VA Living Index
152

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

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Abingdon, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,813

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,813 per month in Abingdon, VA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Abingdon, VA $1,813
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,852 per month in Abingdon, VA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Abingdon, VA $2,852
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,891 per month in Abingdon, VA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Abingdon, VA $3,891
Chicago, IL $6,115

Abingdon, VA is about 42% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Abingdon, VA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Abingdon, VA by 34%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.13 $22.13

$20.65 $20.65

7.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$90.2 $90.2

-15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$12.94 $12.94

-23.18%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.60 $5.60

-5.00%

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

$1.84 $1.84

$2.64 $2.64

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.27 $2.27

-12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$6.98 $6.98

-29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$8.83 $8.83

-31.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.27 $1.27

-9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.80 $3.80

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$5.30 $5.30

49.06%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$4.76 $4.76

-18.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.32 $18.32

$13.96 $13.96

31.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 $13.78

$14.61 $14.61

-5.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 $18.26

$18.77 $18.77

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 $7.76

$5.19 $5.19

49.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$3.93 $3.93

59.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.96 $4.96

-2.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.76 $2.76

16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.76 $2.76

6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.22 $2.22

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.98 $2.98

19.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 $7.78

$14.02 $14.02

-44.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 $13.85

$15.28 $15.28

-9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.58 $2.58

-37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.50 $3.50

11.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 $7.11

$3.34 $3.34

112.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.43 $1.43

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.73 $14.73

$24.32 $24.32

-39.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.26 $1.26

-27.78%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.15%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.16%

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

$172 $172

$193 $193

-10.84%

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

$35.03 $35.03

$68.3 $68.3

-48.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$61.3 $61.3

1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$17.74 $17.74

-33.09%

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

$1,291 $1,291

$1,652 $1,652

-21.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,990 $9,990

$31.1K $31.1K

-67.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.13 $35.13

$66.1 $66.1

-46.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.24 $30.24

$51.2 $51.2

-40.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 $65.2

$100 $100

-34.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 $78.5

$141 $141

-44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 $741

$2,446 $2,446

-69.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 $603

$1,678 $1,678

-64.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 $1,335

$4,717 $4,717

-71.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 $1,149

$2,795 $2,795

-58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

6.81

-9.99%

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

Last update for Abingdon, VA: 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

Abingdon, VA

$603 33.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 178% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Abingdon, VA

$482 26.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 6.7% $32

Eating Out

Abingdon, VA

$323 17.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 6.4% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abingdon, VA

$269 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 19.7% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Abingdon, VA

$94 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 71.4% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Abingdon, VA

$24 * 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 278% $66

Getting Around

Abingdon, VA

$19 * 1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 410% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Abingdon, VA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Abingdon, VA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $482 in Abingdon, VA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Abingdon, VA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:38 7:38 AM

06:38 6:38 AM

1 h behind Abingdon, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Abingdon, VA Chicago, IL 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Abingdon, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,813 in Abingdon, VA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 73% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,719 per month in Abingdon, VA 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 Abingdon, VA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Abingdon, VA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Abingdon, VA, where all-in costs run around $1,813, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Abingdon, VA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,813 in Abingdon, VA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Abingdon, 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.