Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Memphis, TN: $2,501 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,501 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Memphis, TN $2,501

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,673 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Memphis, TN $3,673

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,844 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Memphis, TN $4,844

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Memphis, TN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Memphis, TN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$17.99 $17.99

19.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$74.5 $74.5

19.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$12.16 $12.16

8.55%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.68 $5.68

-1.58%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.40 $2.40

9.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.99 $1.99

13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.12 $7.12

-0.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.03 $8.03

14.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.94 $0.94

36.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.15 $3.15

21.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.96 $3.96

28.03%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.77 $3.77

28.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$13.18 $13.18

7.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.45 $11.45

27.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$18.84 $18.84

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.67 $5.67

-8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.71 $1.71

16.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.71 $5.71

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.14 $3.14

-11.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.17 $4.17

-36.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.64 $2.64

-19.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.16 $2.16

43.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$10.87 $10.87

47.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$12.94 $12.94

17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.76 $1.76

48.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.60 $1.60

116.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.02 $1.02

142.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$38.55 $38.55

94.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.02 $2.02

58.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.41 $1.41

-1.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$20.36 $20.36

22.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.02 $1.02

21.57%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$37.3K $37.3K

-0.45%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-4.66%

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

$192 $192

$187 $187

2.74%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$86.3 $86.3

-21.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$75.8 $75.8

-19.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$31.47 $31.47

70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$16.62 $16.62

67.87%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$14.76 $14.76

20.60%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,720 $1,720

-9.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$24.8K $24.8K

26.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$47.08 $47.08

44.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$33.58 $33.58

51.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$82.2 $82.2

23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$156 $156

-7.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,448 $1,448

64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,175 $1,175

45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,073 $2,073

125.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,900 $1,900

44.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,755 $1,755

136.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,351 $1,351

99.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,523 $3,523

38.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.6

2.58%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47% 31.4% $537

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1% 10.5% $48

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7% 10% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Memphis, TN

$349 14% 8.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7% 12.4% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1% 45.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4% 31.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,448 in Memphis, 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 39% 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $74.0 in Memphis, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $404 – making Memphis, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🕒 Local time

18:42 6:42 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

633,104

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Memphis, TN 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,501 in Memphis, TN – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,752 in Memphis, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $74.0 in Memphis, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $2,501 in Memphis, 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 $2,501 in Memphis, TN to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Memphis, 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.