Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
106

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Augusta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,189

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 39% more expensive than in Augusta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.88 $17.88

15.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$99.5 $99.5

-10.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.57 $9.57

37.83%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.60 $6.60

-14.24%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.73 $2.73

-3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.62 $1.62

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.39 $5.39

27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.12 $8.12

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.76 $0.76

64.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.20 $2.20

69.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.14 $4.14

30.19%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.89 $3.89

21.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.30 $11.30

22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.74 $8.74

64.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.57 $14.57

26.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.34 $4.34

20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.23 $1.23

60.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.74 $3.74

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.62 $2.62

89.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.75 $1.75

52.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.87 $2.87

-7.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.87 $1.87

19.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.23 $2.23

40.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.83 $8.83

56.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.21 $10.21

45.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.77 $1.77

43.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.20 $5.20

-32.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.35 $1.35

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.67 $45.67

61.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.95 $1.95

63.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.26 $1.26

10.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.10%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.4K $27.4K

-2.63%

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

$194 $194

$152 $152

27.78%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.1 $60.1

15.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$92.6 $92.6

-33.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$17.30 $17.30

176.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.24 $15.24

16.86%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$917 $917

95.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$48.68 $48.68

37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.16 $38.16

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$74.7 $74.7

35.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$73.8 $73.8

94.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,372 $1,372

84.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,035 $1,035

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,804 $1,804

162.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,373 $1,373

96.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,932 $1,932

116.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,486 $1,486

86.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,225 $3,225

52.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.7

1.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Augusta, GA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Augusta, GA

$1K 47.3% 34.4% $543

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Augusta, GA

$325 14.9% 27.3% $122

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Augusta, GA

$312 14.2% 9.7% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Augusta, GA

$305 13.9% 6.4% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Augusta, GA

$106 4.8% 35.4% $58

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Augusta, GA

$59 2.7% 36.5% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Augusta, GA

$48 2.2% 42.8% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,372 in Augusta, GA. 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: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $100 in Augusta, GA. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $325, with Augusta, GA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Augusta, GA

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

08:06 8:06 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

194,343

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Chicago, IL
Augusta, 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 Augusta, GA: 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.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Chicago, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,372 in Augusta, GA. 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.