Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Georgetown, DE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Georgetown, DE: $2,858 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Georgetown, DE, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Georgetown, DE
🇺🇸 United States
$2,858
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,858 per month in Georgetown, DE vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Georgetown, DE $2,858
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,083 per month in Georgetown, DE vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Georgetown, DE $4,083
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,308 per month in Georgetown, DE vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Georgetown, DE $5,308
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Georgetown, DE is about 6% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Georgetown, DE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Georgetown, DE by 110%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.28 $20.28
$20.71 $20.71
-2.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.70 $34.70
$89.2 $89.2
-61.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.16 $12.16
$13.19 $13.19
-7.81%
Cappuccino
$3.97 $3.97
$5.66 $5.66
-29.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 $2.62
$2.64 $2.64
-0.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.28 $2.28
-10.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.05 $6.05
$6.87 $6.87
-11.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 $4.94
$8.84 $8.84
-44.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.25 $1.25
-13.60%
White Bread (500g)
$3.67 $3.67
$3.72 $3.72
-1.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.54 $6.54
$5.39 $5.39
21.34%
Eggs
$6.49 $6.49
$4.74 $4.74
36.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.06 $13.06
$13.84 $13.84
-5.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.04 $17.04
$14.40 $14.40
18.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.88 $19.88
$18.38 $18.38
8.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$5.22 $5.22
-13.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.98 $1.98
12.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.21 $5.21
$4.06 $4.06
28.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.90 $5.90
$4.97 $4.97
18.71%
Potato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$2.67 $2.67
55.43%
Onion (1kg)
$4.67 $4.67
$2.66 $2.66
75.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.01 $2.01
$2.24 $2.24
-10.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 $2.53
$3.13 $3.13
-19.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.19 $11.19
$13.82 $13.82
-19.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.84 $20.84
$14.88 $14.88
40.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.54 $2.54
7.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$3.51 $3.51
-6.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.09 $2.09
$2.43 $2.43
-13.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.2 $67.2
$73.5 $73.5
-8.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 $2.95
$3.18 $3.18
-7.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.39 $1.39
52.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.27 $41.27
$25.03 $25.03
64.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.20 $1.20
-20.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K $31.1K
$35.0K $35.0K
-11.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$26.7K $26.7K
-1.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$250 $250
$194 $194
28.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.92 $49.92
$69.5 $69.5
-28.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.3 $62.3
$61.6 $61.6
1.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.68 $43.68
$47.90 $47.90
-8.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.25 $20.25
$17.81 $17.81
13.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,048 $3,048
$1,794 $1,794
69.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.1K $34.1K
$31.9K $31.9K
6.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.85 $39.85
$67.0 $67.0
-40.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.28 $25.28
$52.1 $52.1
-51.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 $78.7
$102 $102
-22.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 $123
$144 $144
-14.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$2,526 $2,526
-40.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,405 $1,405
$1,578 $1,578
-10.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,827 $2,827
$4,738 $4,738
-40.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,360 $2,360
$2,693 $2,693
-12.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,136 $3,136
$4,190 $4,190
-25.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,416 $2,416
$2,768 $2,768
-12.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Georgetown, DE
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,931 $4,931
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
6.81
-2.06%

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

Last update for Georgetown, DE: 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
Georgetown, DE
$1.4K
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 12.3% $173
Groceries & Markets
Georgetown, DE
$492
Chicago, IL
$447 9.1% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Georgetown, DE
$362
Chicago, IL
$326 10.2% $37
Eating Out
Georgetown, DE
$305
Chicago, IL
$345 13% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Georgetown, DE
$120
Chicago, IL
$164 36.7% $44
Getting Around
Georgetown, DE
$89
Chicago, IL
$93 4.8% $4.3
Sport & Entertainment
Georgetown, DE
$84
Chicago, IL
$84 0.8% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,509 in Georgetown, DE 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 $35 in Georgetown, DE versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $492 in Georgetown, DE vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Georgetown, DE
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
17:08 5:08 PM
16:08 4:08 PM
1 h behind Georgetown, DE
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,176
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Georgetown, DE Chicago, IL 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Georgetown, DE
  • 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
Georgetown, DE vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Georgetown, DE and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,858 in Georgetown, DE, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Georgetown, DE comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Georgetown, DE compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,287 per month in Georgetown, DE and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Georgetown, DE and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Georgetown, DE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,509 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Georgetown, DE and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How does quality of life compare between Georgetown, DE and Chicago, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,858 in Georgetown, DE to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Georgetown, DE vs other spots: cost of living compared

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