Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chattanooga, TN: $2,611 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

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

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

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Chattanooga, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,611

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,611 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $2,611
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,850 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $3,850
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,089 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $5,089
Chicago, IL $6,115

Chattanooga, TN is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chattanooga, TN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Chattanooga, TN by 93%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$20.65 $20.65

-4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 $99.2

$90.2 $90.2

9.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 $11.15

$12.94 $12.94

-13.83%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$5.60 $5.60

-4.46%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$2.64 $2.64

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.27 $2.27

-8.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.98 $6.98

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 $7.49

$8.83 $8.83

-15.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.27 $1.27

-11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.80 $3.80

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$5.30 $5.30

-24.91%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$4.76 $4.76

-11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$13.96 $13.96

2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$14.61 $14.61

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$18.77 $18.77

-28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$5.19 $5.19

23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.98 $1.98

-16.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.93 $3.93

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.96 $4.96

-14.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.76 $2.76

30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.22 $2.22

21.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.98 $2.98

-8.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 $9.27

$14.02 $14.02

-33.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.64 $17.64

$15.28 $15.28

15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.58 $2.58

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.50 $3.50

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.47 $2.47

-21.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.71 $49.71

$74.8 $74.8

-33.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.34 $3.34

53.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.43 $1.43

34.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 $30.07

$24.32 $24.32

23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.26 $1.26

-23.81%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.21%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.85%

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

$159 $159

$193 $193

-17.57%

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

$82.9 $82.9

$68.3 $68.3

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$61.3 $61.3

22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.22 $39.22

$54.1 $54.1

-27.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 $3.95

$27.92 $27.92

-85.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$17.74 $17.74

-15.33%

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

$1,086 $1,086

$1,652 $1,652

-34.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$31.1K $31.1K

-20.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.44 $41.44

$66.1 $66.1

-37.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.80 $38.80

$51.2 $51.2

-24.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 $99.9

$100 $100

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$141 $141

-15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$2,446 $2,446

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,678 $1,678

-24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,190 $3,190

$4,717 $4,717

-32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$2,795 $2,795

-29.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,249 $2,249

$4,105 $4,105

-45.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,273 $2,273

$2,650 $2,650

-14.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,984 $3,984

$4,866 $4,866

-18.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for Chattanooga, 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

Chattanooga, TN

$1.3K 48.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 31.9% $406

Groceries & Markets

Chattanooga, TN

$429 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.9% $21

Eating Out

Chattanooga, TN

$318 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 8% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chattanooga, TN

$317 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 1.7% $5.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chattanooga, TN

$134 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 20% $27

Getting Around

Chattanooga, TN

$72 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 31.8% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chattanooga, TN

$69 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 29.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Chattanooga, 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 22% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Chattanooga, TN versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $429 in Chattanooga, TN vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chattanooga, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chattanooga, TN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

05:50 5:50 AM

1 h behind Chattanooga, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

176,588

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

Chattanooga, TN Chicago, IL 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chattanooga, 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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 20% more than Chattanooga, TN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,917 per month in Chattanooga, 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 Chattanooga, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 20%.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Chattanooga, TN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chattanooga, TN costs $2,611 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chattanooga, 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.