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: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,594 in Calhoun, GA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,810 in Calhoun, GA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,026 in Calhoun, GA.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Calhoun, GA 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$19.33 $19.33

8.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$74.4 $74.4

31.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.85 $10.85

9.31%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.00 $5.00

12.00%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.58 $2.58

18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.02 $2.02

22.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.84 $5.84

22.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.14 $7.14

13.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.04 $1.04

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.61 $3.61

13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.24 $4.24

32.31%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.30 $4.30

4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$12.39 $12.39

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.65 $11.65

27.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$15.15 $15.15

26.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.93 $4.93

4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.56 $1.56

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.35 $4.35

0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.70 $4.70

-2.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.92 $2.92

-13.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.92 $2.92

-5.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.09 $2.09

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.13 $2.13

23.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$9.75 $9.75

53.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.93 $14.93

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.83 $1.83

34.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.28 $3.28

13.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.04 $2.04

21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.45 $3.45

-7.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.58 $1.58

-10.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$29.28 $29.28

-14.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.88 $0.88

20.45%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.9K $29.9K

6.93%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.94%

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

$185 $185

-0.08%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$52.8 $52.8

16.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$67.4 $67.4

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.43 $42.43

77.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$13.45 $13.45

9.37%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,310 $1,310

54.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$23.1K $23.1K

70.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$50.1 $50.1

28.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$39.71 $39.71

32.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$88.2 $88.2

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$111 $111

32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,581 $1,581

46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,339 $1,339

18.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,588 $2,588

78.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,205 $2,205

26.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,978 $2,978

31.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,684 $2,684

-2.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Calhoun, GA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,581 in Calhoun, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $74.0 in Calhoun, GA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $390 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 $4,616 in Chicago, IL and $3,892 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,581 in Calhoun, GA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,310 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 $98.0 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 $2,594 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.