Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dothan, AL: $2,058 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Dothan, AL
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Dothan, AL Living Index
153

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

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Dothan, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,058 per month in Dothan, AL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dothan, AL $2,058
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,216 per month in Dothan, AL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dothan, AL $3,216
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,373 per month in Dothan, AL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dothan, AL $4,373
Chicago, IL $6,077

Dothan, AL is about 35% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dothan, AL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dothan, AL by 52%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$21.58 $21.58

-29.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.01 $49.01

$88.7 $88.7

-44.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 $9.64

$13.20 $13.20

-26.97%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$5.59 $5.59

-11.09%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$2.63 $2.63

-19.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.26 $2.26

-19.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$7.11 $7.11

-29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$9.23 $9.23

-24.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.28 $1.28

-33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.84 $3.84

-13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.07 $5.07

-30.77%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.84 $4.84

0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 $13.80

$14.17 $14.17

-2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 $11.50

$18.76 $18.76

-38.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$5.19 $5.19

12.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.00 $2.00

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.00 $4.00

48.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.98 $4.98

2.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.79 $2.79

33.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.65 $2.65

1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.13 $2.13

1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.09 $3.09

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.52 $8.52

$16.05 $16.05

-46.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$15.20 $15.20

-11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.62 $2.62

48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.46 $3.46

44.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.21 $3.21

6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.39 $1.39

5.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 $24.10

$25.02 $25.02

-3.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.24 $1.24

-30.65%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.57%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.12%

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

$219 $219

$192 $192

13.68%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$67.8 $67.8

1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.23 $39.23

$60.9 $60.9

-35.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$17.80 $17.80

-14.49%

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

$1,823 $1,823

$1,554 $1,554

17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$31.4K $31.4K

-28.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$67.9 $67.9

-22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 $44.24

$50.8 $50.8

-12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 $98.2

$101 $101

-3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$143 $143

-24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$2,383 $2,383

-62.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 $863

$1,712 $1,712

-49.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,436 $1,436

$4,674 $4,674

-69.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 $1,848

$2,738 $2,738

-32.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,455 $1,455

$4,158 $4,158

-65.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,496 $1,496

$2,691 $2,691

-44.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$4,894 $4,894

-32.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.77

-3.40%

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

Last update for Dothan, AL: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dothan, AL

$863 41.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 98.4% $849

Groceries & Markets

Dothan, AL

$426 20.7%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dothan, AL

$327 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 1.8% $5.9

Eating Out

Dothan, AL

$265 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 33% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Dothan, AL

$137 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 19.8% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Dothan, AL

$30 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 193% $59

Getting Around

Dothan, AL

$11 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 786% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in Dothan, AL versus $2,383 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.

Salaries run about 49% 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 $49.00 in Dothan, AL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $426 vs $451 – making Dothan, AL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dothan, AL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Dothan, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

71,072

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dothan, AL Chicago, IL 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Dothan, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,058 in Dothan, AL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,087 per month in Dothan, AL and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dothan, AL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Dothan, AL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dothan, AL, where all-in costs run around $2,058, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Dothan, AL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,058 in Dothan, AL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dothan, AL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.