Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Kennesaw, GA: $1,264 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 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
61

Cost of Living Index in Kennesaw, GA
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Kennesaw, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kennesaw, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,264

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,264 in Kennesaw, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kennesaw, GA $1,264

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,973 in Kennesaw, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kennesaw, GA $1,973

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,682 in Kennesaw, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kennesaw, GA $2,682

Chicago, IL costs about 140% more than Kennesaw, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Chicago, IL sits 123% above the global median, while Kennesaw, GA is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.21 $16.21

27.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$64.5 $64.5

38.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.52 $8.52

54.81%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.16 $5.16

9.69%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.57 $2.57

2.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.22 $1.22

86.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.88 $4.88

40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.94 $5.94

48.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.96 $0.96

30.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.99 $2.99

24.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.95 $1.95

176.41%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.14 $4.14

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.62 $9.62

43.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.34 $10.34

39.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.19 $15.19

21.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.31 $6.31

-17.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.36 $1.36

45.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.82 $7.82

-48.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.57 $5.57

-10.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.25 $4.25

-37.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.22 $5.22

-49.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.83 $2.83

-20.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.84 $2.84

10.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.56 $8.56

61.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.73 $14.73

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.43 $2.43

4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.63 $3.63

-3.31%

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

$2.92 $2.92

8.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.22 $30.22

-17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.78 $0.78

53.85%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.6K $26.6K

31.62%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.39%

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

$194 $194

$282 $282

-31.07%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.6 $57.6

20.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$52.4 $52.4

17.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.76 $15.76

13.01%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,371 $1,371

30.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.3K $18.3K

74.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.0 $58.0

15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.83 $38.83

34.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$110 $110

-8.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$138 $138

4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,576 $1,576

60.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,085 $2,085

127.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$8,145 $8,145

-39.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.69

1.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kennesaw, GA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kennesaw, GA

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kennesaw, GA

$406 32.1% 9.2% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kennesaw, GA

$269 21.2% 22.1% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kennesaw, GA

$392 31% 20.4% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kennesaw, GA

$155 12.3% 5.3% $8.8

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kennesaw, GA

$11 * 0.9% 88.5% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kennesaw, GA

$32 * 2.5% 62.3% $52

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 $1,576 in Kennesaw, GA. 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 65% higher in Kennesaw, GA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $64 in Kennesaw, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $406 – making Kennesaw, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kennesaw, GA

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

17:21 5:21 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

34,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Kennesaw, GA 910 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Kennesaw, 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 Kennesaw, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,264 in Kennesaw, GA – Kennesaw, GA comes out roughly 58% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,897 in Kennesaw, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kennesaw, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,576 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $64 in Kennesaw, GA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $1,264 in Kennesaw, GA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kennesaw, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.