Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Marietta, GA: $2,721 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Marietta, GA
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Marietta, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Marietta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,721 in Marietta, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Marietta, GA $2,721

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,002 in Marietta, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Marietta, GA $4,002

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,282 in Marietta, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Marietta, GA $5,282

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Marietta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Marietta, GA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Marietta, GA by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.30 $20.30

2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$102 $102

-12.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.97 $11.97

10.19%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.43 $5.43

4.24%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.83 $2.83

-6.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.20 $2.20

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.45 $6.45

6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.98 $7.98

10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.91 $0.91

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.56 $3.56

4.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.87 $3.87

39.28%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.19 $4.19

13.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.88 $13.88

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.57 $14.57

-1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.09 $19.09

-3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.83 $5.83

-10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.41 $4.41

-7.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.37 $5.37

-7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.84 $2.84

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.60 $2.60

2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.23 $2.23

0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.71 $2.71

15.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.03 $9.03

53.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.78 $13.78

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.01 $2.01

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.53 $3.53

-0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.54 $2.54

-4.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$80.0 $80.0

-8.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.58 $3.58

-11.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.47 $1.47

-5.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.55 $23.55

6.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.2K $36.2K

-3.18%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.86%

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

$194 $194

$220 $220

-11.56%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$82.6 $82.6

-15.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$74.9 $74.9

-17.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$82.6 $82.6

-42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$23.38 $23.38

16.94%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.98 $11.98

48.66%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,103 $1,103

62.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$22.7K $22.7K

40.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.2 $53.2

25.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$45.45 $45.45

14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.3 $97.3

4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$108 $108

32.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,358 $1,358

86.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,235 $1,235

27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,386 $2,386

98.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,901 $1,901

41.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,747 $2,747

52.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,977 $1,977

40.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,986 $3,986

23.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Marietta, GA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Marietta, GA

$1.2K 45.4% 21.7% $343

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Marietta, GA

$432 15.9% 3.4% $15

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Marietta, GA

$332 12.2% 3.8% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Marietta, GA

$377 13.9% 15.9% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Marietta, GA

$137 5% 16.6% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Marietta, GA

$101 3.7% 8.2% $7.7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Marietta, GA

$107 3.9% 27.6% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,358 in Marietta, 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 24% 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 $102 in Marietta, GA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $432 in Marietta, GA – so Marietta, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Marietta, GA

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

23:09 11:09 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

61,048

💱 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 Marietta, GA 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,721 in Marietta, GA – Marietta, GA comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,082 in Marietta, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marietta, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,358 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $102 in Marietta, GA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,721 in Marietta, GA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Marietta, GA – 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 Marietta, GA. 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.