Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Suwanee, GA: $3,072 and $3,005 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Suwanee, GA
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Suwanee, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Suwanee, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,005

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,005 in Suwanee, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Suwanee, GA $3,005

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,196 in Suwanee, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Suwanee, GA $4,196

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,386 in Suwanee, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Suwanee, GA $5,386

Chicago, IL and Suwanee, GA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Suwanee, GA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Suwanee, GA by 122%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.60 $19.60

4.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$81.6 $81.6

8.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.10 $11.10

15.77%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.32 $5.32

8.65%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.71 $2.71

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.99 $1.99

13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.03 $6.03

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.53 $7.53

22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.86 $0.86

46.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.77 $3.77

-5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.59 $4.59

17.21%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.01 $4.01

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.73 $11.73

16.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.85 $8.85

58.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.93 $19.93

-9.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.50 $4.50

14.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 $1.50

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.23 $4.23

-8.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.64 $4.64

4.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.80 $3.80

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.71 $3.71

-28.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.29 $2.29

-9.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.96 $1.96

54.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.65 $8.65

60.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.75 $14.75

2.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.67 $1.67

57.49%

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.01 $3.01

5.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.51 $1.51

12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$17.80 $17.80

39.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.88 $0.88

45.45%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

37.39%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.43%

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

$192 $192

$224 $224

-14.13%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$68.8 $68.8

1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$87.7 $87.7

-29.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$49.95 $49.95

-4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$15.20 $15.20

78.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.71 $16.71

6.70%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,287 $1,287

40.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$17.2K $17.2K

135.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$51.7 $51.7

28.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$43.91 $43.91

17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.9 $88.9

16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$134 $134

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,957 $1,957

29.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,685 $1,685

-3.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,634 $2,634

83.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,480 $2,480

10.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.64

2.11%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Suwanee, GA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Suwanee, GA

$1.7K 56.1% 4% $64

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Suwanee, GA

$384 12.8% 12.5% $55

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Suwanee, GA

$318 10.6% 7.6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Suwanee, GA

$380 12.7% 17.4% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Suwanee, GA

$143 4.8% 12.4% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Suwanee, GA

$11 * 0.4% 89.1% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Suwanee, GA

$83 2.8% 0.1% $0.1

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 $1,957 in Suwanee, GA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $82 in Suwanee, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $384 – making Suwanee, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Suwanee, GA

🕒 Local time

09:26 9:26 AM

10:26 10:26 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,549

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Suwanee, GA 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,507 in Suwanee, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suwanee, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,957 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,287 in Suwanee, GA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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 $3,005 in Suwanee, GA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Suwanee, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.