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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,068 in Chicago, IL versus $2,582 in Calhoun, GA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,648 in Chicago, IL versus $3,742 in Calhoun, GA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,229 in Chicago, IL versus $4,903 in Calhoun, GA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 19% more expensive than in Calhoun, GA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Calhoun, GA 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$19.34 $19.34

4.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$73.9 $73.9

34.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$11.08 $11.08

10.38%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.96 $4.96

12.90%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.60 $2.60

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$5.96 $5.96

16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$7.15 $7.15

14.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.01 $1.01

6.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.48 $3.48

14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.44 $4.44

25.68%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$4.10 $4.10

9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$12.35 $12.35

17.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$11.33 $11.33

33.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$15.61 $15.61

23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.85 $4.85

10.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.55 $1.55

13.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.20 $4.20

2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.61 $4.61

-4.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.79 $2.79

-8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.91 $2.91

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.08 $2.08

19.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.20 $2.20

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 $14.80

$9.36 $9.36

58.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$14.73 $14.73

3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.85 $1.85

33.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.41 $3.41

5.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.97 $1.97

28.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 $76.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.48 $3.48

-5.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.64 $1.64

-15.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.36 $25.36

$29.23 $29.23

-13.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.91 $0.91

19.78%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$29.0K $29.0K

9.04%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

3.83%

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

$186 $186

$189 $189

-1.33%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$52.1 $52.1

20.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$67.0 $67.0

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.6 $77.6

$42.39 $42.39

83.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 $13.16

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$13.54 $13.54

8.86%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$1,274 $1,274

60.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$23.5K $23.5K

69.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$50.2 $50.2

27.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.90 $39.90

28.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$87.3 $87.3

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$113 $113

27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$1,603 $1,603

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$1,354 $1,354

16.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,688 $4,688

$2,653 $2,653

76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,737 $2,737

$2,208 $2,208

23.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,063 $4,063

$2,412 $2,412

68.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,696 $2,696

$2,473 $2,473

9.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,019 $5,019

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.51

1.38%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 11, 2026

Last update for Calhoun, GA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,305 in Chicago, IL and $1,603 in Calhoun, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Chicago, IL vs $74.0 in Calhoun, GA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $388 per month, with Calhoun, GA cheaper across the board.

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 Calhoun, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calhoun, GA wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calhoun, GA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,602 in Chicago, IL and $3,872 in Calhoun, GA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,305 in Chicago, IL versus $1,603 in Calhoun, GA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,039 in Chicago, IL versus $1,274 in Calhoun, GA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calhoun, GA – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $99.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Calhoun, GA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calhoun, GA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,582 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calhoun, GA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Calhoun, GA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.