Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Morristown, TN: $2,012 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 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
97

Cost of Living Index in Morristown, TN
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Morristown, TN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Morristown, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,012 in Morristown, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Morristown, TN $2,012

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,099 in Morristown, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Morristown, TN $3,099

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,187 in Morristown, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Morristown, TN $4,187

Chicago, IL costs about 56% more than Morristown, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Morristown, TN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Morristown, TN by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.70 $19.70

4.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$99.3 $99.3

-9.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.15 $11.15

16.05%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.36 $5.36

4.48%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.34 $2.34

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.07 $2.07

9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.02 $6.02

15.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.42 $7.42

19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.91 $0.91

39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.74 $3.74

1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.99 $3.99

32.83%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.16 $4.16

14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.24 $12.24

14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.92 $14.92

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.36 $13.36

40.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.73 $6.73

-22.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.34 $4.34

-9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.24 $4.24

16.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.84 $2.84

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.79 $3.79

-27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.64 $2.64

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.78 $2.78

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.98 $8.98

56.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$18.12 $18.12

-15.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.94 $1.94

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.39 $3.39

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.97 $1.97

25.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$51.0 $51.0

46.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.85 $4.85

-31.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.92 $1.92

-25.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.65 $29.65

-17.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.98 $0.98

28.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.08%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.86%

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

$193 $193

$156 $156

23.23%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$83.1 $83.1

-17.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$76.6 $76.6

-19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.45 $41.45

30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.79 $14.79

19.95%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,103 $1,103

49.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

25.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$41.55 $41.55

59.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$38.55 $38.55

32.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$99.9 $99.9

0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$121 $121

16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$817 $817

199.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$673 $673

149.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,289 $1,289

265.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,087 $1,087

157.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,740 $2,740

49.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,238 $2,238

18.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,683 $2,683

81.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.58

3.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Morristown, TN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Morristown, TN

$673 33.5% 59.9% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Morristown, TN

$425 21.1% 5.4% $24

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Morristown, TN

$318 15.8% 7.5% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Morristown, TN

$316 15.7% 1.9% $6.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Morristown, TN

$135 6.7% 16.1% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Morristown, TN

$73 3.6% 23% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Morristown, TN

$71 3.5% 20.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $817 in Morristown, 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 81% 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 $99.0 in Morristown, TN. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $425 in Morristown, TN – so Morristown, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Morristown, TN

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

05:33 5:33 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,122

💱 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 Morristown, TN 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,012 in Morristown, TN – roughly 56% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,018 in Morristown, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $99.0 in Morristown, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Morristown, TN, where all-in costs run around $2,012, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Morristown, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,012 in Morristown, TN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Morristown, 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.