Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Clarksville, TN: $2,331 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Clarksville, TN
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Clarksville, TN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Clarksville, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,331

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Clarksville, TN

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 Clarksville, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,331 in Clarksville, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Clarksville, TN $2,331

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,326 in Clarksville, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Clarksville, TN $3,326

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,321 in Clarksville, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Clarksville, TN $4,321

Chicago, IL costs about 32% more than Clarksville, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Clarksville, TN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Clarksville, TN by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.22 $20.22

0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$83.6 $83.6

5.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.19 $11.19

14.83%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.25 $5.25

10.10%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.36 $2.36

16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.81 $1.81

24.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.03 $5.03

36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.39 $7.39

25.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.67 $2.67

32.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.03 $4.03

33.50%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.18 $3.18

43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.78 $13.78

-0.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.39 $14.39

-2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$13.11 $13.11

37.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.71 $6.71

-23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.23 $4.23

-8.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.20 $4.20

15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.12 $2.12

32.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$6.27 $6.27

-57.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.98 $2.98

-30.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.44 $2.44

24.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.43 $9.43

47.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.03 $12.03

25.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.76 $1.76

49.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.38 $3.38

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.46 $1.46

66.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$49.90 $49.90

50.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.06 $5.06

-37.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.52 $1.52

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$29.46 $29.46

-15.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.98 $0.98

30.61%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

29.56%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.40%

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

$192 $192

$155 $155

23.57%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$83.9 $83.9

-17.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$75.3 $75.3

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$24.23 $24.23

97.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$3.93 $3.93

589.57%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.96 $13.96

27.72%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$823 $823

120.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$15.2K $15.2K

167.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$41.13 $41.13

60.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$38.64 $38.64

33.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$97.6 $97.6

5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$119 $119

19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,123 $1,123

125.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,048 $1,048

54.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,750 $1,750

175.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,395 $1,395

95.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,354 $2,354

76.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,810 $1,810

50.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,804 $3,804

29.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Clarksville, TN: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Clarksville, TN

$1K 45% 35.4% $573

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Clarksville, TN

$399 17.1% 9.1% $40

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Clarksville, TN

$315 13.5% 8.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Clarksville, TN

$315 13.5% 2.9% $9.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Clarksville, TN

$133 5.7% 18.5% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Clarksville, TN

$68 2.9% 29.2% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Clarksville, TN

$52 2.2% 37.5% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,123 in Clarksville, TN. 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 29% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $84 in Clarksville, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $399 – making Clarksville, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Clarksville, TN

🕒 Local time

03:45 3:45 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

180,716

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Clarksville, TN 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Clarksville, TN

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 Clarksville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,331 in Clarksville, TN – Clarksville, TN comes out roughly 24% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,496 in Clarksville, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Clarksville, TN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,123 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $84 in Clarksville, TN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Clarksville, TN, where all-in costs run around $2,331, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Clarksville, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Clarksville, TN – 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 Clarksville, TN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.