Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Smyrna, GA: $2,850 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Smyrna, GA
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Smyrna, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Smyrna, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,850

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,850 in Smyrna, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Smyrna, GA $2,850

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,994 in Smyrna, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Smyrna, GA $3,994

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,139 in Smyrna, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Smyrna, GA $5,139

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Smyrna, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Smyrna, GA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Smyrna, GA by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.87 $16.87

20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$55.3 $55.3

60.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.53 $10.53

22.03%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.80 $5.80

-0.34%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.01 $3.01

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.20 $2.20

2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.68 $6.68

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.02 $8.02

15.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.91 $0.91

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.61 $2.61

36.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.08 $4.08

31.86%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.44 $3.44

32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.93 $13.93

-2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.13 $11.13

26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.26 $15.26

18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.81 $5.81

-11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.57 $5.57

-30.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.08 $4.08

18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.38 $3.38

-16.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.56 $2.56

4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.16 $2.16

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.00 $2.00

51.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.66 $8.66

60.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.30 $15.30

-1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.70 $1.70

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.85 $4.85

-28.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.47 $2.47

-1.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.57 $3.57

-11.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.53 $1.53

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$23.77 $23.77

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.02 $1.02

25.49%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$32.0K $32.0K

11.76%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.95%

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

$192 $192

$255 $255

-24.65%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$54.1 $54.1

28.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$80.9 $80.9

-23.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$202 $202

-76.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$14.24 $14.24

90.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.66 $16.66

7.02%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,049 $1,049

73.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$19.8K $19.8K

104.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$54.5 $54.5

21.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$45.20 $45.20

13.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$83.7 $83.7

23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$87.9 $87.9

62.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,659 $1,659

52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,390 $1,390

16.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,933 $2,933

64.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,123 $2,123

28.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,387 $2,387

74.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,039 $2,039

33.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,429 $4,429

11.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.56

3.35%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Smyrna, GA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Smyrna, GA

$1.4K 48.8% 14.2% $231

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Smyrna, GA

$385 13.5% 12.4% $54

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Smyrna, GA

$307 10.8% 10.9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Smyrna, GA

$390 13.7% 20.4% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Smyrna, GA

$122 4.3% 25.4% $42

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Smyrna, GA

$21 * 0.7% 78.2% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Smyrna, GA

$235 8.3% 182% $152

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,659 in Smyrna, 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 11% 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 $55 in Smyrna, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $385 – making Smyrna, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Smyrna, GA

🕒 Local time

09:44 9:44 AM

10:44 10:44 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,371

💱 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 Smyrna, GA 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,850 in Smyrna, GA – Smyrna, GA comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,274 in Smyrna, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Smyrna, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,659 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $55 in Smyrna, GA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,850 in Smyrna, GA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Smyrna, 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 Smyrna, 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.