Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Augusta, GA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Augusta, GA: $2,189 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in Augusta, GA
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Augusta, GA Living Index
147

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

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Augusta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,189

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,189 in Augusta, GA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Augusta, GA $2,189
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,126 in Augusta, GA versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Augusta, GA $3,126
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,062 in Augusta, GA versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Augusta, GA $4,062
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Augusta, GA costs roughly 28% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Augusta, GA 61% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 $17.88

$20.71 $20.71

-13.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$89.2 $89.2

11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 $9.57

$13.19 $13.19

-27.45%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.66 $5.66

16.61%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 $2.64

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.28 $2.28

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.87 $6.87

-21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$8.84 $8.84

-8.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.25 $1.25

-39.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.72 $3.72

-40.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$5.39 $5.39

-23.19%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$4.74 $4.74

-17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$13.84 $13.84

-18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 $8.74

$14.40 $14.40

-39.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$18.38 $18.38

-20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.22 $5.22

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.98 $1.98

-37.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$4.06 $4.06

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$4.97 $4.97

-47.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.67 $2.67

-34.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.66 $2.66

7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.24 $2.24

-16.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.13 $3.13

-28.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 $8.83

$13.82 $13.82

-36.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 $10.21

$14.88 $14.88

-31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.54 $2.54

-30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.51 $3.51

48.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.43 $2.43

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.67 $45.67

$73.5 $73.5

-37.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.18 $3.18

-38.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.39 $1.39

-9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.20 $1.20

-20.83%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.32%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

2.70%

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

$152 $152

$194 $194

-21.74%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$69.5 $69.5

-13.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.6 $92.6

$61.6 $61.6

50.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.30 $17.30

$47.90 $47.90

-63.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$17.81 $17.81

-14.43%

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

$917 $917

$1,794 $1,794

-48.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.68 $48.68

$67.0 $67.0

-27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.16 $38.16

$52.1 $52.1

-26.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 $74.7

$102 $102

-26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 $73.8

$144 $144

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$2,526 $2,526

-45.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 $1,035

$1,578 $1,578

-34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 $1,804

$4,738 $4,738

-61.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 $1,373

$2,693 $2,693

-49.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,932 $1,932

$4,190 $4,190

-53.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,486 $1,486

$2,768 $2,768

-46.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,225 $3,225

$4,931 $4,931

-34.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.81

-1.62%

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

Last update for Augusta, GA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Augusta, GA

$1K 47.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 52.4% $543

Groceries & Markets

Augusta, GA

$325 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 37.6% $122

Eating Out

Augusta, GA

$312 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.7% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Augusta, GA

$305 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.8% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Augusta, GA

$106 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 54.8% $58

Getting Around

Augusta, GA

$59 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 57.5% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Augusta, GA

$48 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 74.8% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,372 in Augusta, GA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 53% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $100 in Augusta, GA vs $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $447, with Augusta, GA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Augusta, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:02 3:02 AM

02:02 2:02 AM

1 h behind Augusta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

194,343

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Augusta, GA Chicago, IL 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Augusta, GA
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

Augusta, GA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Augusta, GA is about 28% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Augusta, GA. 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: $1,372 in Augusta, GA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $89 versus $100 in Augusta, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,189 in Augusta, GA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Augusta, GA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Augusta, GA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Augusta, GA wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.