Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, TN: $2,061 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

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

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

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Athens, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,061

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,061 per month in Athens, TN vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Athens, TN $2,061
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Athens, TN vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Athens, TN $3,191
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,320 per month in Athens, TN vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Athens, TN $4,320
Chicago, IL $6,115

Athens, TN is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Athens, TN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Athens, TN by 52%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.18 $30.18

$20.65 $20.65

46.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$90.2 $90.2

20.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$12.94 $12.94

-9.12%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.60 $5.60

0.71%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$2.64 $2.64

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.27 $2.27

-7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$6.98 $6.98

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$8.83 $8.83

-10.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.27 $1.27

-30.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.80 $3.80

-32.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.30 $5.30

-35.28%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.76 $4.76

1.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$13.96 $13.96

-2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$14.61 $14.61

-56.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.74 $19.74

$18.77 $18.77

5.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.19 $5.19

14.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.93 $3.93

54.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.96 $4.96

5.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.76 $2.76

35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.76 $2.76

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.22 $2.22

1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.98 $2.98

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 $6.98

$14.02 $14.02

-50.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$15.28 $15.28

-2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.58 $2.58

-25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.50 $3.50

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.47 $2.47

-6.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.34 $3.34

5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.43 $1.43

2.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.41 $24.41

$24.32 $24.32

0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 $1.26

-26.19%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

5.16%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.60%

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

$219 $219

$193 $193

13.87%

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

$70.0 $70.0

$68.3 $68.3

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 $56.0

$61.3 $61.3

-8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 $45.44

$54.1 $54.1

-16.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 $7.88

$17.74 $17.74

-55.58%

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

$1,820 $1,820

$1,652 $1,652

10.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-28.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$66.1 $66.1

-19.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.57 $45.57

$51.2 $51.2

-11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 $96.8

$100 $100

-3.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$141 $141

-22.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 $855

$2,446 $2,446

-65.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 $701

$1,678 $1,678

-58.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 $1,458

$4,717 $4,717

-69.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 $1,147

$2,795 $2,795

-58.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 $2,706

$4,105 $4,105

-34.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$2,650 $2,650

-9.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,472 $8,472

$4,866 $4,866

74.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.81

-3.96%

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

Last update for Athens, TN: October 18, 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, TN

$701 34%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 139% $977

Eating Out

Athens, TN

$413 20.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 16.9% $70

Groceries & Markets

Athens, TN

$383 18.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 17.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Athens, TN

$345 16.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 6.7% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Athens, TN

$137 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 17.3% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Athens, TN

$61 3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 46.4% $28

Getting Around

Athens, TN

$20 * 1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 376% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $855 in Athens, TN 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 74% higher in Athens, TN, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Athens, TN versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in Athens, TN vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Athens, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Athens, TN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:37 3:37 AM

02:37 2:37 AM

1 h behind Athens, TN

🌤 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Athens, TN Chicago, IL 760 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Chicago, IL costs about 52% more than Athens, TN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,092 per month in Athens, TN 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 Athens, TN, 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 $109 in Athens, TN and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Athens, TN, where all-in costs run around $2,061, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Athens, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Athens, TN costs $2,061 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Athens, TN. 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.