Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, GA: $2,200 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Athens, GA
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Athens, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Athens, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,200

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Athens, GA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Athens, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,200 in Athens, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Athens, GA $2,200

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,313 in Athens, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Athens, GA $3,313

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,426 in Athens, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Athens, GA $4,426

Chicago, IL costs about 43% more than Athens, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Athens, GA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Athens, GA by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$13.19 $13.19

56.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$63.7 $63.7

41.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.36 $10.36

24.90%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.70 $5.70

-1.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.93 $2.93

-9.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.21 $2.21

2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.52 $7.52

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.79 $7.79

13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.82 $0.82

54.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.93 $2.93

29.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.57 $6.57

-19.33%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.27 $3.27

45.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.81 $8.81

58.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.55 $10.55

38.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.58 $14.58

28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.96 $5.96

-12.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.36 $1.36

45.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.23 $6.23

-36.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.73 $4.73

4.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.21 $4.21

-34.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.15 $4.15

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.62 $2.62

-15.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.98 $1.98

50.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.03 $9.03

55.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$18.65 $18.65

-18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.78 $1.78

44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.93 $5.93

-40.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$15.58 $15.58

379.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

23.44%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.0K $27.0K

-3.26%

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

$193 $193

$285 $285

-32.27%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$41.91 $41.91

62.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$79.7 $79.7

-23.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$25.05 $25.05

116.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$7.80 $7.80

257.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.95 $12.95

36.99%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$872 $872

89.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$9,396 $9,396

230.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$54.8 $54.8

20.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$31.97 $31.97

60.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$64.6 $64.6

54.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$54.5 $54.5

158.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,340 $1,340

82.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$957 $957

75.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,322 $2,322

103.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,860 $1,860

50.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,420 $2,420

69.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,230 $2,230

18.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,487 $3,487

39.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Athens, GA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Athens, GA

$957 43.5% 43% $721

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Athens, GA

$399 18.2% 11.1% $50

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Athens, GA

$279 12.7% 18.9% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Athens, GA

$406 18.5% 26% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Athens, GA

$93 4.2% 42.6% $69

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Athens, GA

$16 * 0.7% 83.6% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Athens, GA

$51 2.3% 43.1% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,340 in Athens, GA. 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 40% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $64.0 in Athens, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $399 – making Athens, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Athens, GA

🕒 Local time

08:59 8:59 AM

09:59 9:59 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

115,452

💱 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

Chicago, IL Athens, GA 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Athens, GA

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

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 43%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,300 in Athens, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Athens, GA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $64.0 in Athens, GA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Athens, GA, where all-in costs run around $2,200, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Athens, GA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Athens, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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