Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Knoxville, TN: $2,576 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Knoxville, TN
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Knoxville, TN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Knoxville, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,576

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,576 in Knoxville, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Knoxville, TN $2,576

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,786 in Knoxville, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Knoxville, TN $3,786

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,997 in Knoxville, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Knoxville, TN $4,997

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Knoxville, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Knoxville, TN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Knoxville, TN by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.71 $17.71

16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$74.6 $74.6

21.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.86 $9.86

31.24%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.38 $5.38

4.09%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.83 $2.83

-6.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.75 $2.75

-17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.36 $6.36

9.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.60 $6.60

33.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.06 $1.06

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.47 $3.47

9.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.56 $4.56

16.23%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.46 $4.46

6.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.08 $10.08

38.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.22 $9.22

58.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.91 $14.91

25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$7.04 $7.04

-26.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 $1.55

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.87 $2.87

36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.58 $5.58

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.16 $2.16

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.36 $4.36

-36.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.23 $2.23

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.19 $2.19

36.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.99 $8.99

55.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.23 $15.23

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.91 $1.91

35.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.14 $3.14

11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.02 $1.02

142.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$29.58 $29.58

152.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$5.10 $5.10

-34.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.51 $1.51

-5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.87 $29.87

-18.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.64%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.3K $27.3K

-4.44%

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

$193 $193

$223 $223

-13.70%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$74.4 $74.4

-8.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$53.1 $53.1

15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$29.37 $29.37

84.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$21.90 $21.90

27.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.20 $15.20

16.71%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,246 $1,246

32.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

26.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$50.9 $50.9

29.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$45.53 $45.53

12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$112 $112

-10.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$123 $123

14.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,811 $1,811

35.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,284 $1,284

30.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,901 $2,901

62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,144 $2,144

30.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$4,681 $4,681

-12.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,243 $2,243

18.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,622 $3,622

34.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.64

2.56%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Knoxville, TN: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Knoxville, TN

$1.3K 49.8% 23.5% $394

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Knoxville, TN

$383 14.9% 14.8% $66

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Knoxville, TN

$303 11.8% 11.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Knoxville, TN

$351 13.6% 8.9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Knoxville, TN

$149 5.8% 7.6% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Knoxville, TN

$46 1.8% 51.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Knoxville, TN

$60 2.3% 33.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,811 in Knoxville, 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 34% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $75.0 in Knoxville, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $383 – making Knoxville, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Knoxville, TN

🕒 Local time

07:25 7:25 AM

08:25 8:25 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

190,740

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Knoxville, TN 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Knoxville, 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 Knoxville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,576 in Knoxville, TN – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,864 in Knoxville, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Knoxville, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $75.0 in Knoxville, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,576 in Knoxville, TN. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,576 in Knoxville, TN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Knoxville, TN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.