Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, OH and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, OH: $1,669 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Athens, OH
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Athens, OH Living Index
152

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

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Athens, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,669

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,669 in Athens, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Athens, OH $1,669
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,495 in Athens, OH versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Athens, OH $2,495
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,320 in Athens, OH versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Athens, OH $3,320
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Athens, OH costs roughly 47% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens, OH 23% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 $14.74

$20.65 $20.65

-28.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.20 $49.20

$90.2 $90.2

-45.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$12.94 $12.94

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$5.60 $5.60

-11.07%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$2.64 $2.64

-14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.27 $2.27

-37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$6.98 $6.98

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$8.83 $8.83

-20.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.27 $1.27

-45.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.80 $3.80

-45.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.30 $5.30

-43.21%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$4.76 $4.76

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$13.96 $13.96

-9.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$14.61 $14.61

-40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 $16.20

$18.77 $18.77

-13.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$5.19 $5.19

-30.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.98 $1.98

-51.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.93 $3.93

-29.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.96 $4.96

-40.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.76 $2.76

-38.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.76 $2.76

-21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.22 $2.22

-25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.98 $2.98

-35.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$14.02 $14.02

-35.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.28 $15.28

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.58 $2.58

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.50 $3.50

-11.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.47 $2.47

-58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.34 $3.34

15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.43 $1.43

-11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.15 $25.15

$24.32 $24.32

3.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.26 $1.26

-30.95%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

3.61%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.04%

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

$150 $150

$193 $193

-22.31%

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

$29.86 $29.86

$68.3 $68.3

-56.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.41 $48.41

$61.3 $61.3

-21.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 $11.85

$17.74 $17.74

-33.20%

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

$1,476 $1,476

$1,652 $1,652

-10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K $19.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-37.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.08 $46.08

$66.1 $66.1

-30.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.56 $45.56

$51.2 $51.2

-11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 $65.4

$100 $100

-34.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$141 $141

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 $1,313

$2,446 $2,446

-46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 $701

$1,678 $1,678

-58.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 $1,471

$4,717 $4,717

-68.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 $1,216

$2,795 $2,795

-56.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,644 $1,644

$4,105 $4,105

-59.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 $1,650

$2,650 $2,650

-37.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,377 $3,377

$4,866 $4,866

-30.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Athens, OH: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Athens, OH

$701 42%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 140% $977

Groceries & Markets

Athens, OH

$322 19.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 39.7% $128

Eating Out

Athens, OH

$262 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 31.3% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Athens, OH

$228 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 41.4% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Athens, OH

$119 7.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 35.2% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Athens, OH

$24 * 1.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 278% $66

Getting Around

Athens, OH

$14 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 567% $81

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Athens, OH and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Athens, OH vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $449 per month, with Athens, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Athens, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:58 8:58 AM

07:58 7:58 AM

1 h behind Athens, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,452

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

Athens, OH Chicago, IL 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Athens, OH
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

Athens, OH vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athens, OH is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Chicago, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,313 in Athens, OH versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,669 per month in Athens, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,669 in Athens, OH versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Athens, OH but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Athens, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Athens, OH is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Athens, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.