Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Winder, GA: $2,302 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Winder, GA
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Winder, GA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Winder, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,302

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,302 in Winder, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Winder, GA $2,302

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,535 in Winder, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Winder, GA $3,535

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,767 in Winder, GA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Winder, GA $4,767

Chicago, IL costs about 32% more than Winder, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Winder, GA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Winder, GA by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.82 $17.82

16.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$96.8 $96.8

-7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.73 $10.73

22.93%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.41 $5.41

4.62%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.05 $3.05

-13.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.01 $2.01

13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.06 $6.06

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.03 $6.03

46.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.80 $0.80

56.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.41 $2.41

54.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.56 $2.56

110.55%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.84 $3.84

23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.37 $12.37

11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.98 $9.98

44.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.57 $14.57

26.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.57 $2.57

103.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.24 $1.24

59.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.39 $4.39

-7.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.23 $3.23

53.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.55 $2.55

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.81 $1.81

46.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.12 $1.12

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.02 $1.02

206.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.33 $8.33

65.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$2.96 $2.96

402.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.62 $1.62

56.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.73 $1.73

102.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.17 $2.17

11.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.0 $58.0

26.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.60 $3.60

-11.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.44 $1.44

-3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$17.96 $17.96

39.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$19.2K $19.2K

82.25%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

8.68%

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

$194 $194

$145 $145

33.77%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.3 $58.3

19.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$61.0 $61.0

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.10 $40.10

19.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.14 $15.14

17.64%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,690 $1,690

6.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,849 $9,849

224.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.60 $40.60

65.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$28.96 $28.96

80.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.5 $88.5

14.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$96.6 $96.6

48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,474 $1,474

71.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,185 $1,185

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,504 $2,504

89.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,116 $2,116

27.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,751 $2,751

52.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,017 $2,017

37.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,148 $4,148

18.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Winder, GA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Winder, GA

$1.2K 51.5% 24.9% $393

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Winder, GA

$288 12.5% 35.6% $159

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Winder, GA

$302 13.1% 12.4% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Winder, GA

$265 11.5% 18.7% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Winder, GA

$115 5% 30.1% $49

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Winder, GA

$77 3.4% 17% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Winder, GA

$70 3.1% 15.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,474 in Winder, 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 19% 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 $97 in Winder, GA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $288 in Winder, GA – so Winder, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Winder, GA

🕒 Local time

17:10 5:10 PM

18:10 6:10 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

16,244

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Winder, GA 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,302 in Winder, GA – Winder, GA comes out roughly 24% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,453 in Winder, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Winder, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,474 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $97 in Winder, GA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,302 in Winder, GA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Winder, 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 Winder, 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.