Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Duluth, GA: $2,637 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Duluth, GA
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Duluth, GA Living Index
152

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

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Duluth, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,637

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,637 per month in Duluth, GA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Duluth, GA $2,637
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,709 per month in Duluth, GA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Duluth, GA $3,709
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,781 per month in Duluth, GA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Duluth, GA $4,781
Chicago, IL $6,115

Duluth, GA is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Duluth, GA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Duluth, GA by 95%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 $18.43

$20.65 $20.65

-10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 $88.1

$90.2 $90.2

-2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$12.94 $12.94

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$4.72 $4.72

$5.60 $5.60

-15.71%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.64 $2.64

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.27 $2.27

-8.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$6.98 $6.98

-19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 $7.34

$8.83 $8.83

-16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.27 $1.27

-28.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.80 $3.80

4.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.30 $5.30

-14.15%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$4.76 $4.76

-16.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.47 $14.47

$13.96 $13.96

3.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 $9.11

$14.61 $14.61

-37.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.36 $19.36

$18.77 $18.77

3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.19 $5.19

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.98 $1.98

-21.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.93 $3.93

3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.96 $4.96

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.76 $2.76

39.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.76 $2.76

38.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 $2.22

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.98 $2.98

-32.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 $8.36

$14.02 $14.02

-40.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$15.28 $15.28

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.58 $2.58

-37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.50 $3.50

-27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.47 $2.47

9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.34 $3.34

-11.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.43 $1.43

4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.79 $17.79

$24.32 $24.32

-26.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 $1.26

-26.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.41%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.29%

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

$144 $144

$193 $193

-25.43%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$68.3 $68.3

-22.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$61.3 $61.3

13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.02 $10.02

$27.92 $27.92

-64.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.83 $16.83

$17.74 $17.74

-5.13%

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

$1,223 $1,223

$1,652 $1,652

-25.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$31.1K $31.1K

-67.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$66.1 $66.1

-21.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.18 $35.18

$51.2 $51.2

-31.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$100 $100

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$141 $141

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 $1,482

$1,678 $1,678

-11.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,283 $2,283

$4,717 $4,717

-51.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,073 $2,073

$2,795 $2,795

-25.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,152 $4,152

$4,866 $4,866

-14.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Duluth, GA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Duluth, GA

$1.5K 56.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 13.2% $195

Groceries & Markets

Duluth, GA

$396 15%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.5% $54

Eating Out

Duluth, GA

$298 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 15.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Duluth, GA

$266 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 21% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Duluth, GA

$140 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 15.4% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Duluth, GA

$34 * 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 166% $56

Getting Around

Duluth, GA

$21 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 348% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 17% 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 $88.0 in Duluth, GA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $449 – making Duluth, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Duluth, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:28 12:28 AM

23:28 11:28 PM

1 h behind Duluth, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,265

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Duluth, GA Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Duluth, GA
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,637 in Duluth, GA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,955 per month in Duluth, GA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Duluth, GA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Duluth, GA, where all-in costs run around $2,637, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Duluth, GA 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 $2,637 in Duluth, GA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Duluth, GA. 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.