Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Valdosta, GA: $1,637 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 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
78

Cost of Living Index in Valdosta, GA
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Valdosta, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Valdosta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,637

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,637 in Valdosta, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Valdosta, GA $1,637

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,944 in Valdosta, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Valdosta, GA $2,944

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,250 in Valdosta, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Valdosta, GA $4,250

Chicago, IL costs about 88% more than Valdosta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Valdosta, GA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Valdosta, GA by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.74 $16.74

21.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$71.1 $71.1

24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.83 $9.83

30.72%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.02 $5.02

15.14%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.47 $2.47

10.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.70 $1.70

32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.09 $5.09

35.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.15 $6.15

50.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.80 $0.80

57.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.35 $3.35

5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.03 $3.03

77.56%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.11 $5.11

-10.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$5.54 $5.54

146.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$9.79 $9.79

43.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.71 $16.71

8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.57 $3.57

44.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.13 $1.13

75.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.12 $2.12

83.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.74 $2.74

76.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.18 $2.18

28.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.10 $3.10

-13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.66 $1.66

24.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.52 $1.52

99.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.80 $8.80

57.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$18.21 $18.21

-17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.27 $2.27

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.98 $2.98

-18.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$88.6 $88.6

-14.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.30 $3.30

-3.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.22 $2.22

-23.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$23.56 $23.56

5.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.86 $0.86

48.84%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

29.53%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.4K $22.4K

19.75%

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

$192 $192

$121 $121

59.09%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$45.18 $45.18

54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$62.6 $62.6

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$25.15 $25.15

90.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$5.85 $5.85

363.25%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.23 $12.23

45.79%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$674 $674

169.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$12.7K $12.7K

220.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$47.18 $47.18

40.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$29.70 $29.70

73.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$94.6 $94.6

9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$150 $150

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,245 $1,245

103.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$493 $493

228.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,897 $1,897

154.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,650 $1,650

65.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,677 $1,677

148.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,736 $1,736

56.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,416 $3,416

44.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.69

1.35%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Valdosta, 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%

Valdosta, GA

$493 30.1% 69.6% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Valdosta, GA

$329 20.1% 25.2% $111

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Valdosta, GA

$278 17% 19.2% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Valdosta, GA

$228 14% 29.5% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Valdosta, GA

$145 8.8% 11.7% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Valdosta, GA

$115 7% 18.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Valdosta, GA

$50 3% 40.5% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,245 in Valdosta, 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 44% 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 in Chicago, IL versus $71 in Valdosta, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $329 – making Valdosta, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Valdosta, GA

🕒 Local time

08:02 8:02 AM

09:02 9:02 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

56,426

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Valdosta, GA 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $1,637 in Valdosta, GA – Valdosta, GA comes out roughly 47% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,456 in Valdosta, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valdosta, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,245 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $71 in Valdosta, GA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Valdosta, GA, where all-in costs run around $1,637, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Valdosta, GA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Valdosta, 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 Valdosta, 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.