Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, AL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Decatur, AL: $1,929 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, AL
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Decatur, AL Living Index
147

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

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Decatur, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,929

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Decatur, AL and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Decatur, AL and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,929 per month in Decatur, AL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Decatur, AL $1,929
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,715 per month in Decatur, AL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Decatur, AL $2,715
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,500 per month in Decatur, AL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Decatur, AL $3,500
Chicago, IL $5,999

Decatur, AL is about 36% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Decatur, AL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Decatur, AL by 42%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.73 $14.73

$20.71 $20.71

-28.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.83 $42.83

$89.2 $89.2

-52.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.02 $12.02

$13.19 $13.19

-8.87%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$5.66 $5.66

-21.55%

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

$1.27 $1.27

$2.64 $2.64

-51.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.28 $2.28

-30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$6.87 $6.87

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 $5.91

$8.84 $8.84

-33.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.50 $0.50

$1.25 $1.25

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.72 $3.72

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.39 $5.39

-62.34%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$4.74 $4.74

-45.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 $7.94

$13.84 $13.84

-42.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$14.40 $14.40

-60.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$18.38 $18.38

-33.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.22 $5.22

-42.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.98 $1.98

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$4.06 $4.06

-33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$4.97 $4.97

-61.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.67 $2.67

-46.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.66 $2.66

-39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.24 $2.24

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.13 $3.13

-30.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.40 $9.40

$13.82 $13.82

-31.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$14.88 $14.88

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.54 $2.54

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.51 $3.51

-54.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.18 $3.18

-37.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.39 $1.39

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 $20.31

$25.03 $25.03

-18.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.77%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

3.37%

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

$189 $189

$194 $194

-2.81%

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

$84.5 $84.5

$69.5 $69.5

21.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.2 $74.2

$61.6 $61.6

20.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 $14.86

$17.81 $17.81

-16.56%

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

$1,713 $1,713

$1,794 $1,794

-4.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-21.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.48 $46.48

$67.0 $67.0

-30.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.04 $33.04

$52.1 $52.1

-36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 $82.2

$102 $102

-19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$144 $144

8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$2,526 $2,526

-60.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$1,578 $1,578

-44.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 $1,704

$4,738 $4,738

-64.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 $1,336

$2,693 $2,693

-50.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 $1,659

$4,190 $4,190

-60.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 $1,681

$2,768 $2,768

-39.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.81

-3.08%

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

Last update for Decatur, AL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Decatur, AL

$872 45.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 80.9% $706

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Decatur, AL

$348 18%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.4% $22

Groceries & Markets

Decatur, AL

$272 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 64.3% $175

Eating Out

Decatur, AL

$256 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 34.8% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Decatur, AL

$143 7.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 14.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Decatur, AL

$30 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 181% $54

Getting Around

Decatur, AL

$8.7 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 973% $85

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $987 in Decatur, AL versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 $43 in Decatur, AL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $447 – making Decatur, AL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Decatur, AL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:10 2:10 AM

Same time as Decatur, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,047

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Decatur, AL Chicago, IL 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Decatur, AL
Chicago, IL

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

Decatur, AL vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,929 in Decatur, AL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Decatur, AL comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,894 per month in Decatur, AL and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Decatur, AL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $987 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Decatur, AL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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