Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Gadsden, AL

For one person, living is cheaper in Gadsden, AL: $1,838 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 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
89

Cost of Living Index in Gadsden, AL
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Gadsden, AL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Gadsden, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,838

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Gadsden, AL

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 Gadsden, AL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,838 in Gadsden, AL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Gadsden, AL $1,838

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,705 in Gadsden, AL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Gadsden, AL $2,705

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,572 in Gadsden, AL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Gadsden, AL $3,572

Chicago, IL costs about 65% more than Gadsden, AL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Gadsden, AL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Gadsden, AL by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$29.93 $29.93

-30.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$109 $109

-18.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.94 $11.94

10.47%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.52 $5.52

2.54%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.81 $2.81

-6.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.10 $2.10

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.91 $6.91

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.93 $7.93

11.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.79 $0.79

58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.07 $2.07

79.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.96 $1.96

175.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.45 $2.45

93.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.16 $8.16

69.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$7.16 $7.16

101.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.12 $11.12

65.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.54 $2.54

105.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 $1.46

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.49 $2.49

63.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.70 $2.70

84.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.95 $1.95

36.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.00 $2.00

33.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.94 $1.94

15.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.17 $1.17

167.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$7.86 $7.86

75.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$7.02 $7.02

111.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.04 $1.04

144.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.15 $5.15

-31.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.53 $3.53

-9.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.52 $1.52

-8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.61 $23.61

6.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.82 $0.82

46.34%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$37.0K $37.0K

-5.39%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.03%

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

$194 $194

$221 $221

-12.19%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$30.40 $30.40

128.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.3 $69.3

-11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$19.74 $19.74

142.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.78 $11.78

51.19%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,796 $1,796

-0.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$22.3K $22.3K

43.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.3 $54.3

23.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$45.09 $45.09

15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.5 $98.5

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$108 $108

33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$807 $807

212.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$668 $668

136.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,072 $1,072

342.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$845 $845

218.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,477 $1,477

183.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,455 $1,455

90.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,920 $4,920

0.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.54

4.13%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gadsden, AL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Gadsden, AL

$668 36.3% 57.7% $910

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Gadsden, AL

$246 13.4% 45% $201

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Gadsden, AL

$412 22.4% 19.3% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Gadsden, AL

$321 17.5% 1.3% $4.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Gadsden, AL

$137 7.5% 16.2% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Gadsden, AL

$11 * 0.6% 88.1% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Gadsden, AL

$43 2.4% 48.2% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $807 in Gadsden, AL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $109 in Gadsden, AL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $246 in Gadsden, AL – so Gadsden, AL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gadsden, AL

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

33,945

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Gadsden, AL 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Gadsden, AL

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 Gadsden, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,838 in Gadsden, AL – Gadsden, AL comes out roughly 39% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,758 in Gadsden, AL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gadsden, AL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $807 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $109 in Gadsden, AL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Gadsden, AL, where all-in costs run around $1,838, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Gadsden, AL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,838 in Gadsden, AL to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.