Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lenoir City, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Lenoir City, TN: $2,396 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Lenoir City, TN
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Lenoir City, TN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Lenoir City, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,396

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,396 in Lenoir City, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Lenoir City, TN $2,396

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,272 in Lenoir City, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Lenoir City, TN $3,272

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,147 in Lenoir City, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Lenoir City, TN $4,147

Chicago, IL costs about 28% more than Lenoir City, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Lenoir City, TN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Lenoir City, TN by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$12.88 $12.88

58.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$56.9 $56.9

55.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$8.85 $8.85

45.20%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.10 $4.10

40.98%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.45 $2.45

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.04 $2.04

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.05 $5.05

36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.93 $4.93

87.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.77 $0.77

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.26 $2.26

57.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.06 $4.06

32.51%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.22 $3.22

41.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$7.71 $7.71

77.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$5.43 $5.43

159.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$7.51 $7.51

140.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.30 $4.30

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.18 $1.18

67.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.29 $4.29

-9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.28 $4.28

12.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.24 $2.24

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.69 $2.69

-0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.53 $1.53

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.95 $2.95

2.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.08 $8.08

72.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.89 $11.89

26.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.83 $1.83

43.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.70 $1.70

102.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.82 $1.82

33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$63.3 $63.3

18.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.97 $4.97

-36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.78 $1.78

-4.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$33.85 $33.85

-26.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.91 $0.91

40.66%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.28%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.36%

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

$192 $192

$143 $143

34.12%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$60.3 $60.3

15.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$60.6 $60.6

2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$44.96 $44.96

6.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.22 $15.22

17.15%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$785 $785

131.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

68.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$42.33 $42.33

56.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$30.84 $30.84

66.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$75.4 $75.4

37.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$150 $150

-5.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,442 $1,442

75.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,317 $1,317

23.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,831 $1,831

163.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,806 $1,806

51.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,860 $2,860

45.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,322 $2,322

17.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,215 $3,215

53.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

35.60%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Lenoir City, 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%

Lenoir City, TN

$1.3K 55% 18.8% $304

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Lenoir City, TN

$289 12.1% 34.1% $150

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Lenoir City, TN

$232 9.7% 32.6% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Lenoir City, TN

$264 11% 18.5% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Lenoir City, TN

$135 5.6% 17.8% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Lenoir City, TN

$84 3.5% 12.7% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Lenoir City, TN

$75 3.2% 9.6% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,442 in Lenoir City, 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 53% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $57 in Lenoir City, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $289 – making Lenoir City, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lenoir City, TN

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

05:41 5:41 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Lenoir City, TN 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,396 in Lenoir City, TN – Lenoir City, TN comes out roughly 22% 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 $3,594 in Lenoir City, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lenoir City, TN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,442 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $57 in Lenoir City, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,396 in Lenoir City, TN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lenoir City, 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 Lenoir City, 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.